


Light in the Dark

by zanash



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Brotherly Love, Daryl Dixon Smut, Developing Relationship, Emergency Medical Technicians, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Drama, Family Feels, Fluff and Smut, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gratuitous Smut, Male Friendship, Medical Procedures, Medical Professionals, Medical Trauma, Nurses, Oral Sex, Paramedic - Freeform, Romantic Fluff, Sex, Shameless Smut, Shower Sex, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, True Love, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:40:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 71,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24096709
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zanash/pseuds/zanash
Summary: Daryl Dixon is a paramedic who has a thing for a firey nurse at Grady Hospital.  Mallory thinks Daryl's sweet & sexy.  With the help of their friends, a new relationship begins.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Original Female Character(s), Rosita Espinosa/Negan, Tara Chambler/Denise Cloyd
Comments: 129
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

“We’re on diversion, Negan. Turn your stretcher around and go to Saint’s,” Mallory called from the trauma bay. “No can do, darlin’. We called report here and was told to come on in.” Mallory sighed loudly and rolled her eyes. “Who took the report from Medic 77?” she asked loudly. No one answered. The guilty person knew that she would catch all matters of hell. The ER was packed and there were patients on stretchers lining the halls and the waiting room was packed. “You gonna tell me where to put this sweet little lady, or do I just need to put her in your chair?” Daryl shook his head. He knew that Negan was gonna piss Mallory off. “Well, Negan, if you’d listened to me just now when I told you we’re on diversion, you’d know that I have no place to put her.” Negan waltzed up behind Mallory, putting his arm around her shoulders. “Mallory, baby…” he started in that flirty drawl of his. “There’s gotta be somethin’ we can work out.” He gave her his million-dollar smile and a wink. Mallory returned a brilliant smile. “Tell you what, Negan, you take the bowel impaction in room eighteen, you can have that room when you’re done.” Mallory flipped his hand off his shoulder and stormed off into another room.

“Man, why you gotta fuck with her like that?” Daryl asked his partner. “She’s alright!” Negan laughed. “She knows I’m just tryin’ to get a rise out of her.” Daryl let out an exasperated sigh. “Man, she’s slammed. Cut her a fuckin’ break.” Daryl went to see if she had a second so he could apologize for his jackass partner. Mallory came out of the treatment room and headed toward the supply closet. “Hey, um, Mallory”, Daryl called after her. “What do you want, Daryl? I’m busy,” she snarked. He followed behind her, not taking offense to her tone. “Listen, I’m sorry about Negan. He’s a dick. Let me make it up to ya?” Mallory turned and rolled her eyes at him. “How you gonna do that, Dixon?” He thought for a moment, then asked where she would like food from? “You see this ER? I’m not gettin’ a lunch break.” “Well, what about a fancy, overpriced coffee?” Mallory couldn’t help herself. He was pretty cute and he was being very sweet. “Venti iced caramel macchiato. And, I want full-fat everything. I’m runnin’ my ass off, I can use the calories.” 

“Man, you gotta quit givin’ Mallory such a hard time”, Daryl snapped at Negan as they loaded the stretcher into the back of their truck. They closed up the doors and went to the side of the building and lit their cigarettes. Negan grinned and gave Daryl “the eye”. “You got it so fuckin’ bad for her. You just about nut every time you see her,” he laughed. “Man, would ya shut the hell up?” Negan laughed as they rolled their stretcher to a newly open bed. “Thank you, sweetheart,” Negan flirted with a fiery redheaded nurse. “Whatever, Negan. You owe me.” After he and Daryl transferred their patient to the hospital stretcher, Negan caught up with her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You know, Negan, you are a sexual harassment claim waiting to happen.” He grinned, biting his tongue and wrinkling his nose as he pulled her tightly against his body and whispered, ‘I know’, salaciously into her ear. 

Mallory spun around, pointing her finger squarely in Negan’s chest and started to lay into him when all hell broke loose in one of the exam rooms. The patient came charging out, yelling profanities and making threats towards the staff. “I’ll deal with you later,” she snapped and then turned her attention to the hulking beast of a patient who was wreaking havoc and scaring everyone in earshot. Mallory walked right up to the guy, and very loudly yelled, “HEY!” The man turned around, ready for a fight, and Daryl and Negan were coming up right behind her. There is a kinship among people who work in emergency services. No matter who you are, or what service or facility you work at, you have each other’s back no matter what. There was no way they would have allowed this guy to even say a negative word to Mallory, but they didn’t need to worry. The guy was instantly disarmed by Mallory’s loud voice and her pissed off expression. “I don’t have time for this and you’re scaring the other people in here. If you want to be treated then you need to calm yourself down and get back in your room. If you want to act a fool, the door is that way.” The man ducked his head, muttered a “yes, ma’am”, and returned to his room with Mallory right on his heels. 

“Damn, Dixon. Girl’s got some fire! You sure you can handle all that?” Negan laughed, biting his tongue. Daryl shook his head and rolled the stretcher toward the door.


	2. Chapter 2

Daryl and Negan caught enough of a break to go get Mallory her coffee. Daryl relayed the order to the barista and then spied a chocolate croissant and added it to the order. “Your total will be $14.12.” Daryl shouldered Negan. “Pay the lady.” Negan snapped his head around to Daryl, “Why the fuck have I gotta pay? You got coffee, too! You really expect me to pay for your coffee?” “Yeah, I do. You pissed off Mallory and I had to smooth things over with her so she would take our patient.” Negan reached for his wallet, muttering a wild string of curses as he pulled out his debit card and inserted it into the card reader. “Maybe now you’ll learn not to mess with the nurses so much.” Negan laughed. “You mean YOUR nurse. You want that little redhead so bad you can already taste her.” The girl with the blue hair and the face piercings that was close by shot daggers at Negan. “I’m sorry, darlin’. I didn’t realize I was talking loud enough for nosey people to hear.” The girl called him an asshole before grabbing her coffee and leaving. “Dammit, Negan!” Daryl didn’t argue any further. It wouldn’t have done him any good, anyway. 

Daryl went searching for Mallory and hoped that Negan would leave her alone this time. Tara dashed past, carrying blood samples in her hand that had to be rushed to the lab. “Hey, Daryl! She’s in the supply closet!” “Thanks, Tara,” Daryl yelled to her. He and Negan had been on four calls since he promised that he’d bring her back a coffee and was sure that Mallory would have long since given up on him coming back. He spotted her coming out of the supply closet carrying some assorted boxes. He sped up his pace and caught her before she could go into an exam room. “About fuckin’ time,” she snarked. Daryl dropped his gaze to the floor. Tough as he could be as a paramedic, he had kind of a soft heart. Mallory kicked the toe of his boot. “Stop it ya big baby”, she winked. “You really didn’t have to do this. I appreciate it.” He peeked up, glancing at her through his too-long bangs, and gave her a little smirk. “You got time for lunch?”

They walked down the back halls on their way to the cafeteria. Daryl told her that he had until they got another call, and then hoped that other units had cleared and were picking up so he could have a little time with her. “Why do you put up with Negan? You’re completely his opposite.” Daryl chuckled. “Yeah, you could say that. He’s really not all bad, he’s just crass and tactless.” Mallory stopped and shook her head at him. “Yeah, well those are pretty important qualities to have.” “You’re not wrong. I’ve even asked for a new partner, but apparently I’m the only one who can work more than one shift with him. And, they tell me that I keep him somewhat in line.” He took her turkey sandwich from her and paid for it despite her objections. “You bought me a coffee already.” He pushed her hand away from the cashier and gave him his card. “And, now I’m buying you a turkey sandwich.”

They made it almost all the way back to the ER when Daryl’s radio alerted. “Shit. I gotta go.” He started to jog away when Mallory called out to him. “Daryl! Thanks again. Be careful out there.” He gave her a crooked little grin, one that she would come to adore more than anything, and winked. “Always.” And then he was off.

Negan was driving their rig like a bat out of hel but managed to keep the ride smooth. It takes diligence to drive fast and not throw your partner all over the box. Negan had that finesse. Daryl was on his second attempt to start an IV. The patient jerked her arm the first time, blowing the vein. “I need you to be real still for me this time, ok.” Daryl had a voice that was smooth as velvet and soothing to his patients. Even though his patient was barely conscious after having a seizure, he knew that he had to be caring because you never know what your patient is hearing. The seizure was over, but now she was in what is called the postictal state. She was only reacting to painful stimuli which is why she jerked her arm when Daryl attempted the first IV. “Ten minutes to Piedmont”, Negan called from the front. Daryl secured the IV and started the fluids. His patient was stable, vitals were good, so he started his report on the tablet before calling into the ER.

Daryl and Negan ran hard for the rest of the day. The break they had when they took Mallory her coffee was the only break they had. Some days were like that. They even had to have a supervisor meet them with supplies to refill their truck. Daryl laid his head against the headrest and closed his eyes. The last call had been a rough one. “IHOP?” Negan asked from the driver’s seat. Daryl nodded. “Will said he’d let dispatch know to take us out of the system so we could eat. He’s a good shit.” “Yep.” It was all Daryl was capable of. He was exhausted. He’d jumped on an extra half shift the day before, so added to his regular twenty-four hours he was hitting his twentieth hour on the rig. 

“So,” Tara started. “When are you and Daryl going out?” Mallory rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. He only bought me a coffee to apologize for his jackass of a partner.” Tara laughed as if it was the funniest thing she’d ever heard. “You’re kidding, right? You’re seriously going to tell me that you haven’t noticed him all but drooling after you?” Mallory really hadn’t noticed. She just thought that he was one of the good ones who had manners and all that. “And, PLEASE do not sit there and tell me that you don’t think he’s hot as fuck, cause I know you do.” Ok. Tara had her there. The way the sleeves of his uniform shirt stretched over his bulging biceps gave her impure thoughts. His big, broad shoulders gave her positively obscene ones. Tara grinned like a Cheshire cat when she saw Mallory lost in her own thoughts. “That’s what I thought.”

“When are you gonna grow a pair and ask that girl out?” “Stop”, Daryl growled over his coffee. “C’mon man, you know you want to. You know what they say about redheads don’t ya?” Daryl glowered at his partner. Negan laughed. “I’m just bustin’ your balls! Don’t get your panties in a twist.” Negan shoveled a forkful of food into his mouth and chuckled. “Get hers in a twist.” Daryl was beyond frustrated. Negan was relentless when he wanted to be, and he ALWAYS wanted to be if he was irritating Daryl. “Make a deal with ya, Dixon. You ask her out, or I will.” 

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“Step it up, Dixon!” Negan bellowed from the box. “This little hellcat is giving me a fuck of a time!” Daryl would have said something about Negan cursing, but their current patient was screaming her lungs out about demons, bugs, and for Negan to “fuck off”, so there was no concern that she had any issues with his language. Daryl chuckled. There was no way he was stepping anything up. She was breathing and didn’t warrant running lights and sirens to the hospital. No, Negan was gonna have to take his licks and deal with it. Karma is a bitch, or so they say. “I’m tryin’, buddy. Traffic is starting to get a little crazy”, Daryl yelled back. “Light this bitch up, man! She’s… Goddammit, you’re not gonna bite me!” Negan’s yelling, swearing, and grunting as he attempted to subdue his patient was actually rather comical. This lady was a repeat offender. He and Negan had picked her up before for the same thing. She loves her meth and she loves to push her limits. Tonight when they picked her up, they waited until they got her in the rig before giving her Narcan. Last time, they gave it to her before, and it took Daryl, Negan, and several officers to get her facedown on the stretcher and sandwich her with a backboard with her wrists handcuffed to the frame to get her to the hospital. 

“Dammit, Dixon! She’s swingin’!” Ok. Negan sounded kind of winded and a little anxious now, so Daryl relented and stepped up to Code 3 transport. Lights and sirens the rest of the way. 

Lisa could be heard all over the ER as they wheeled her in. Mallory didn’t even have to lay eyes on her to know who it was. “You know where to take her, boys,'' she told Daryl and Negan as she updated the whiteboard, adding Lisa’s name to the psych hall. And that particular hall was not on Mallory’s rotation for the rest of her shift, thank the patron saint of ER nurses. As usual, Lisa put up a fight about being in the ER and wanted to leave, but she couldn’t answer the questions that proved she was in her right mind so security and extra staff filed in to get her settled until a doctor could evaluate her and decide what course of treatment she’d be getting tonight. 

The second they removed the straps from her, Lisa sprung up off the stretcher and lit into Negan. “You motherfucker!!! You Narcan’d me!!!” She unleashed a fury of wild slaps and punches toward Negan, who was able to dodge most of them. This wasn’t his first rodeo. “Come on now. Let’s get you all settled in.” Negan saw Maggie wiggling a syringe between her thumb and finger. Daryl and Negan managed to calm Lisa enough that she was no longer hitting Negan and so Maggie could sedate Lisa so she didn’t hurt herself. 

Once Lisa was settled and they knew that Maggie was safe, Daryl and Negan started to roll out to the truck, but Negan just couldn’t resist. “You ain’t gotta a hair on your nuts if you don’t go ask that girl out for breakfast. We’re all coming off shift. Hell man, I’ll get somebody to go with me and we’ll make it a double if you’re that fuckin’ nervous.” Daryl opened his mouth to protest, but Mallory popped out of a room and went to sit at the nurse’s station. “Fuck it,” Negan said and started over. “Goddammit,” Daryl mumbled. He headed Negan off before he could embarrass the hell out of him. He shot Negan a look as they both sidled up to the counter. “Hey, um, Mallory. Our shift is over and we were thinkin’ about going for breakfast.” Daryl was a little flustered and rubbed the back of his neck. “Would you like to come?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The crew spends a little time together outside of work.

Negan was eyeing Daryl from the driver’s seat. Daryl stared straight ahead through his sunglasses. “Not a word, Negan. Not one word.” Negan threw back his head with laughter. “You were real smooth back there, bro!” Daryl continued staring straight ahead, refusing to respond to Negan. “Your game needs a little work, my man.” Daryl shook his head. There was no winning with Negan. 

Tara wasn’t much better than Negan. As soon as Daryl was out of earshot she was bouncing up and down, slapping Mallory on the shoulder. “He asked you out!!! FINALLY!!! Oh my god, Mallory! He was so freakin’ cute! Did you see the way he kept rubbing the back of his neck and how he kept looking at the ground?” Mallory closed her eyes and shook her head. “Good lord, Tara. It’s just breakfast, we’re not going to prom. Besides, you and Negan are gonna be there.” 

Mallory and Tara found a booth at Dale’s. Dale’s was a great little diner that most of the hospital staff and emergency services frequented. They served all the best comfort foods and had some of the best desserts around. Dale took care of the crews and nurses. He understood that they worked grueling hours and dealt with the worst situations. His policy was to give them a relaxed place that they needed. He was kind of a dad to everyone and everyone loved him. Dale had been a fire captain back in the day, so he had a soft spot for anyone in this line of work. He’d gotten trapped in a structure fire and it wasn’t looking good for him to get out. His air tank ran out before they were able to get to him. He lived only because he had covered his head with his coat. But, the damage was done. The prolonged exposure to the toxic smoke had caused permanent damage to his heart and his lungs. He was no longer fit for duty. Rather than sitting at home for his retirement, he decided that he wanted to stay connected to his crew and all the men and women that he had met along the way throughout his career. So, he took his pension and sunk every penny into opening Dale’s Diner. 

“Here,” Tara said, handing Mallory a tube of tinted lip gloss. Mallory looked at her like she’d grown a second head. “The hell do I need lip gloss for? We’re about to eat in a few minutes.” Tara rolled her eyes and groaned. “Jesus, Mal. You need a little color. Take it from me. If I was scoping you out, I’d want to see you look a little less like you just came off a twenty-four-hour shift in the ER.” Mallory opened her mouth to argue, but Tara shot her a look. “Fine.” Mallory took a look at herself in her little mirror. God, she did look tired. More like she belonged in the morgue rather than getting a meal. “You got anything else in your bag?” Tara lit up. She pulled out some powder and some blush and an eyeshadow palette. Five short minutes later, Mallory was presentable. “You look gorgeous. Daryl is gonna flip.” 

“For fuck’s sake, Negan, it’s just breakfast. I’m not taking her home to bone her.” Negan grabbed his bag and followed just behind Daryl. “Why the hell not? Take her back to your place and get you some! This ain’t the Bible ages.” Daryl glowered at Negan, “Seriously man, do you ever listen to yourself talk? This is exactly why women scream at you.” Daryl tossed his bag into his truck. “Meet you there.” Negan waved as he climbed into his own truck. 

“Mornin’ beautiful ladies!” Negan greeted rather loudly. He took Mallory and Tara’s hands and kissed them. Daryl seemed to sneak in right behind Negan. “Good morning, Negan” Tara and Mallory said almost in unison. Tara smiled and waved to Daryl as Negan sat down beside her. “Hey,” Daryl waved and gave a crooked little smile. He slid in next to Mallory. His heart rate picked up and all of the sudden, his mouth was dry. He had talked to her a billion times, they’d seen each other at their best and at their worst, but sitting here beside her for breakfast had him wrecked. 

Tara and Negan were quick to get some conversation going and very soon Daryl was more at ease and talking. He and Mallory were quickly laughing about the time that he and Negan were standing at the nurse’s desk and was tackled by a screaming child. “That kid slammed into him like a fuckin’ missile!” Mallory was laughing so hard she could hardly catch her breath as she told the story. Tara hadn’t been there to see it happen and she was in tears. “Yeah, I tried to catch him, and the little fucker bit the shit out of me!” 

“Yeah, well, you didn’t do yourself any favors by calling him a “little shit” loud enough for the whole ER to hear,” Daryl chuckled. Tara nudged Negan under the table to get him to notice Mallory sneaking fries off Daryl’s plate. Mallory found that she really liked talking to Daryl outside of work, even if all they talked about was work. They talked for a long while until exhaustion set in and Mallory, who swore to Tara she wasn’t interested in getting close or any of that business, laid her head on Daryl’s shoulder. “I think we need to stick a fork in this little get together and call it done,” Tara stated, noting that Malloy looked like she could literally fall right to sleep. “You alright to drive home?” Daryl asked Mallory quietly. He didn’t want anyone to take anything out of context. Mallory started to answer and noticed, really noticed, how blue Daryl’s eyes are. “You’re sweet. Yeah, I’m just down the road from here. Thank you though.” Daryl gave her a crooked grin and quick nod. 

They all walked out together, about to say their goodbyes when Tara asked when everyone worked again. “Daryl and me are off til Sunday night”, Negan replied. Mallory told them her next shift was Sunday night as well. “I got an idea!” Tara was all but bouncing beside her car. “I’m off til Sunday night too! We need to do something!”

Everyone reluctantly agreed to Tara’s plan for the next night. But for now, all Daryl wanted in this whole world was a hot shower and his own bed. He trudged up the stairs with his work duffle over his shoulder. He took his boots off at the door, leaving them there. No matter how tired he was, he took off his boots and left them at the door. He walked miles a day through all kinds of nastiness, and he didn’t want any of it in his place. He even kept a laundry basket by the door so he could easily strip off his germ covered uniform. 

Stripped down to his boxer briefs and made his way to his shower. His muscles vibrated with exhaustion. The hot spray poured over his head, soothing his racing mind and tired body. As much as he hated to admit to himself, he was actually glad that Negan pushed him to ask Mallory out to breakfast. It was nice to get to talk to her out of work. She laughed freely and it was the greatest laugh he ever heard. It was like it came from her soul. She had the prettiest green eyes and dimples for days. His body responded to his thoughts of her. He’d really noticed her lips today while they were at the diner. She has a habit of biting her bottom lip and it was making him crazy. He wanted to bite it. He could see himself pulling it with his teeth and then biting her neck. He was dying to get his hands in that gorgeous red hair. 

Fuck. He couldn’t stop thinking about how her body might look out of her scrubs. He bet that her skin was soft, like flower petals. He couldn’t stop now. He wrapped his hand around his throbbing cock and started stroking himself while he thought about her and all of the things he wanted to do with her. Part of him felt guilty about thinking of her this way, but his dick had different feelings altogether. He thought about what it would be like to have her in the shower with him. He worked his hand faster and faster imagining all the sounds that he could cause Mallory to make. The thought of her hot, naked body pressed against his is what finally took him over. His whole body shuddered and his voice cracked as he came hard, spilling his seed on his hand and the shower wall. 

After his shower, Daryl pulled on a pair of sleep pants and turned on his TV. His bedroom was blessedly dark. He had heavy, room darkening curtains that did the trick. Not only was he exhausted, but now he was completely relaxed after his release. He climbed into his bed, the cool sheets, and his soft pillow felt like heaven. He flipped the channels until he found a zombie show that he liked. It wasn’t long before he was drifting off, thoughts of Mallory, and the plans for the following night running through his head.

Mallory made it to her loft apartment, toeing off her sneakers and stripping on her way to the shower. She’d get all of that shit later. Right now, she needed a hot shower and her bed. Her twenty-four-hour shift had been slammed from start to finish and she was feeling every minute of it. She was in and out of the shower as fast as she could get herself clean. Ordinarily, she would stay in until the water ran cold, but her feet hurt and her bed was calling to her. She didn’t bother drying her hair, she simply wrapped it in one of her old t-shirts. She pulled on a tank top and panties and crashed. Like Daryl, she fell asleep thinking about the group plans for the following night. She was pleasantly surprised at how excited she was about seeing Daryl again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group goes out for the evening & alcohol.

Daryl could hear the beat of the music outside the club as he made his way through the line to pay the cover. He nervously chewed his bottom lip. This was not his scene. He was happy to go have a beer with the guys at a bar, or even better, have a drink on his quiet little balcony. He was anxious about seeing Mallory, and being here out of his element just added to it. He hoped that he didn’t make a giant ass of himself. 

Tara and Denise were already inside and at a table in the back. They were away from the dance floor yet close enough to the bar. Daryl looked around nervously, hoping to spot a friendly face and not wander around like a lost puppy. He spotted Tara who was waving to him from the table. “You came! I was afraid you were gonna flake,” Tara said as she hugged Daryl. “Nah, I said I’d be here.” Denise waved the waitress over so they could order drinks. 

Daryl started to feel a little more comfortable after his first Jack and Coke. He, Tara, and Denise were laughing it up when Negan and Rosita arrived. “The party can start! I’m here now!” Negan said loudly when they got to the table. He waved for a waitress to come over. “First round’s on me!” Rosita was hooked on Negan’s arm, and like the “gentleman” he was, he took her hand and kissed it as she sat down. She seemed smitten and Daryl hoped for her sake that Negan was equally as dazzled with her. Negan ordered a round of tequila shots and Daryl introduced himself to Rosita. She worked as a Surg Tech in outpatient surgery. “Don’t let Negan act like anything less than a perfect gentleman.” Rosita grinned wickedly. “Oh, I can handle him. If anyone should be afraid, it’s Negan.” He started to open his mouth and say something in defense, but stopped and elbowed Daryl. “There’s your girl.” 

Daryl started to argue that Mallory wasn’t his girl, but she looked so incredible that he couldn’t even speak. She was wearing an emerald green mini dress with heels. Her hair was down and curly. Her makeup was done in such a way as to only accentuate her natural beauty. “Stop droolin’, asshole,” Negan nudged. Tara and Denise stood up and waved Mallory back to the table. 

Mallory noticed Daryl in his dark jeans and a light blue plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up. It was all she could do to keep her feet moving forward and not either trip or come to a stop altogether. He was hot as hell. He looked good in his uniform, but in his plainclothes, his form was even more defined. “She’s got it for him so bad,” Tara whispered to Denise. “Ya think? I don’t think she’s even blinked since she laid eyes on him.” 

Daryl stood as Mallory neared the table. “Hey,” Daryl greeted. “You look beautiful.” He really hoped that he didn’t sound as cheesy as he thought he did. Mallory smiled and bit her bottom lip. “Thanks, Daryl. You don’t look half bad yourself.” Daryl had a flash of memory from the previous day when he thought about her while he was in the shower. That little lip-bite was one of his favorite things about Mallory. “Daryl,” Negan waved his hand in front of his eyes, laughing. “This round is on you.” 

By the fourth round of shots, everyone was beginning to let go. “How did you know about this place, Tara?” Rosita asked. “Oh, Denise and I happened to pop in here one night after work and we try to make it in as much as we can.” While there was a dance floor and a DJ, the corner they were in was relatively quiet. It was dimly lit with strings of fairy lights hanging in the exposed rafters. It wasn’t exactly Daryl’s kind of place, but he was having a good time. It certainly helped that Mallory was sitting right up close to him. She looked absolutely stunning in that shade of green, and she smelled pretty. He wasn’t exactly sure what she was wearing, but it smelled like spring. It was like clean air carrying the scent of a field of flowers. She was laughing a lot. He couldn’t stop watching her. She was wearing these dangly earrings that brushed across her neck when she moved her head. Her green eyes sparkled. He was completely taken by her beauty. 

Denise ordered a round of lemon drops and Tara followed with a round of gummy bear shots. “Next round’s on me”, Negan announced. “And we ain’t havin’ anymore of that candy-ass bullshit y’all been ordering.” Negan excused himself to go to the restroom and told everyone he’d order shots on his way back. Mallory was feeling fine and free. She was dancing along to the beat of the music, laughing with Rosita, Tara, and Denise. She bumped Daryl’s shoulder with hers with the rhythm. “Oh my God! You two should totally go dance!” Daryl snapped his head Tara’s direction. “What?! No! I…” Mallory was up and pulling him by the hand. She didn’t have to be told twice to go dance. She was full of liquid confidence and she wanted Daryl on the dance floor.

“What the blue fuck am I lookin’ at?” Negan laughed. When he came back from the bathroom, he saw Daryl and Mallory making some weird attempt at dancing. Mallory wasn’t so bad, but poor Daryl was not made for it. “Somebody please go stop that fool before he embarrasses himself any worse.” Tara and Rosita were near tears, Denise was watching in uncomfortable awe. “The poor bastard ain’t even got good white boy moves.” Rosita wiped at the corner of her eyes, “What the hell is that move? He looks like a puppet on strings! What are they called?” Through her laughter, Denise told her the word she was looking for was marionette. Thankfully, the song ended and Daryl was able to convince Mallory to go back to the table for more drinks.

Negan sat back with his evil, shit-eating grin, eyeballing Daryl as he made his way back. Red was already creeping up Daryl’s neck. He knew he looked like an ass, but Mallory wasn’t taking no for an answer. “Shut the hell up, Negan. Don’t even start.” Negan, of course, couldn’t stop himself. “Smooth moves, Travolta.” Everyone busted up and teased Daryl who took it all in good fun. 

They were all having such a good time that they soon began to lose track of how much they were actually drinking. After Daryl had a healthy buzz he started slowing down and had been nursing a beer for some time. Negan and Denise both were driving so they had paced themselves most of the night and were down to drinking only soda now. Even though Mallory had driven herself, she was well past the point of being able to drive. Daryl had long since decided that he would drive her home. There was no way he’d put her in an Uber in her state. Rosita and Tara were hammered as well. 

By the time last call was announced, Daryl, Denise, and Negan were sober and completely safe to drive. Mallory, Rosita, and Tara were smashed. Rosita was holding her head up with her hand while Mallory and Tara were trying to convince Daryl and Denise to let them get just one more shot. “How about we go outside for a smoke? Wouldn’t that be good with all the alcohol y’all got in your systems?” Surprisingly, they thought Negan’s idea was a good one. 

Once outside in the cool night air, they were able to convince the girls that they really should get home. Mallory started to try to dig around in her purse but was stumbling so badly that Daryl had to steady her. “How about you just close up your purse and let me drive you home?” Mallory smiled and planted a hand on his chest. “You’re the sweetest,” she slurred. 

Daryl got Mallory into his truck and belted in, then said a quick good night to everyone before they left. “Where’s your place?” he asked when he got into his truck. He looked over when Mallory didn’t answer. She was out. “Great.” Daryl really hadn’t been crazy about the idea of leaving her alone as drunk as she was, but he’d really like it if she was at least awake so he could talk with her about it. He reached over and shook her gently. “Hey, Mallory. Wake up and talk to me.” Nothing. She apparently had gotten very comfortable in the two minutes that he was seeing everyone off. “Mallory!” he called louder, shaking her again. Still nothing. He decided that his only option was to take her to his place and let her sleep it off there. At least he’d know that she was ok.

Getting Mallory into his apartment proved to be far more challenging than he anticipated. He managed to get her awake when they got there, but she was completely disoriented and couldn’t follow the simplest instructions. “I don’t… Ummm… Hey Daaaarryl.” He shushed her and wrapped his arm around her waist. “My place looks different. Did I move?” Daryl sighed and shook his head. This was going to be a long night. She staggered along to the bottom of the steps and threw up in the bushes and down the front of her dress.

He managed to get her into his bathroom without too much effort after she lost a good amount of the alcohol that had been sloshing around her stomach. She was a blubbering mess and that was a whole other set of problems altogether. “I’msosorry”, she bawled. Daryl knelt in front of her unstrapping her heels. “You have no reason to be sorry. Let’s get you cleaned up.” He’d hoped that once she was in her bare feet she would be more steady, but she wasn’t. She wasn’t able to stand still for anything. “Lord, girl,” Daryl sighed. He turned on the tub and started filling it while she was reasonably still. “Listen, I’m gonna help you get cleaned up ok.” He held up a towel in front of her and turned his head to the side so she could undress as privately as possible. “Just hold the towel over you. I’ll help you as much as you need.” 

She sat in the warm water, hugging the towel to her naked body. Daryl went to find her something of his to wear. He wasn’t sure if her dress was washable or not, so that would just have to wait until she was sober. He found a t-shirt and some sweats that would probably do. “Hey, are you covered up?” he called from the other side of the door. Mallory croaked out an affirmative. Her knees were drawn and her head rested on them. “You ok? You gonna get sick again?” She shook her head slightly. “You need some help?” Mallory looked up, her mascara was smeared all around her eyes and she looked exhausted. “Let’s get you cleaned up.” Daryl dipped a washcloth into the warm water and squeezed the water down her back. “Look up here,” he said so softly that Mallory almost couldn’t hear him. “I got way wasted.” Daryl snickered. “That you did. It’s ok, though. You needed to let loose.” He gently tipped her head up and began to wipe away her makeup. “Yeah, but I made a complete ass of myself in front of you.” Daryl smiled down at her and shook his head. “Nah. You didn’t, I swear.” 

Mallory stared into his beautiful, kind eyes and felt herself leaning closer and closer to him. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to know what his lips felt like on hers. Closer still and Daryl stopped wiping her face. He cradled her cheek in his warm hand. He started to lean in but stopped himself. “Mallory, I can’t. You’ve been drinking and I don’t want you to do something you might regret in the morning.” She was crushed. Part of her knew that he was being a total gentleman and that she should be grateful beyond words that she was here with him and not in a situation she couldn’t get herself out of. But there was a big part of her that was humiliated that he turned her down. In her drunken state, she wasn’t able to control her emotions and to her own horror, she started to cry. 

“Hey, no… Mallory, honey, please don’t cry.” Daryl tried to make her look at him, but she couldn’t bring herself to. “I want to kiss you more than anything, Mallory. I do. But, you’re drunk. When we kiss, I want all of you there. I want your whole mind to be there.” God, he felt like he was rambling on like an idiot, but she turned and looked at him, almost unbelievably. “Do you really mean that, Daryl?” He had the cutest shy smile on his face. It brought out a tiny little dimple on his cheek. “I do. I think you’re beautiful and I want to kiss you. I want to know you, Mallory. But, I want it to be right.” She could live with that. Daryl was a good, honorable man and she wanted to know a whole lot more about him.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl finally gets brave-ish

Mallory woke up in a strange bed. She was completely hungover and disoriented. Her head pounded, her stomach was queasy, her mouth was terribly dry, and everything was spinning. She was on her side and something was pressed against her back. She carefully reached behind her to see what surprise awaited her. It was a blanket. Daryl was afraid that she might get sick again and he didn’t want her to be on her back and choke, so he rolled a blanket and tucked it against her. “Oh gooooooood,” she groaned. Thankfully, the room was dark. She felt around on the nightstand, searching for her phone. The light from the screenshot a bolt of searing pain straight from her eyes to the back of her skull. “Dammit,” She sighed. It was just after ten in the morning. Her bladder was painfully full and she was going to have to do something about it immediately. 

Daryl was asleep on the couch, one muscular arm over his head and the other on his belly. The blanket was pulled down exposing his chest. Mallory stopped in the bedroom door frame and admired the view for a moment before her bladder rudely reminded her that she needed to pee, NOW. She tried to be quiet as a mouse, but she wasn’t sure where the bathroom was. The first door she opened was a linen closet. That door had a particularly squeaky hinge and Daryl heard it loudly shriek. Mallory grimaced, hoping that she hadn’t woken him. “It’s the next door,” he said, his voice husky and thick with sleep. “Sorry,” Mallory muttered and darted to the bathroom. She finished up and washed her hands and face. The cold water felt good on her skin and helped wake her up. As she was drying her face, she noticed that there was a new toothbrush in a package and a little tube of toothpaste. Daryl had written a note letting her know that it was for her and that there was some Advil and Tylenol in the medicine cabinet. She couldn’t help but smile at his kindness. 

After brushing her teeth until she felt reasonably sure that she wouldn’t kill him with her awful breath, she came out of the bathroom. Daryl was sitting on the edge of the couch, his hair was a little crazy and he was yawning. “I must have been a nightmare last night,” she said, a little embarrassed. Daryl chuckled and shook his head. “Nah. You weren’t too bad.” He moved his blanket and invited her to sit down. “I never do that. I can’t remember the last time I was drunk, much less THAT drunk. Thank you for everything, Daryl. You didn’t have to do that.” “It was nothing. You’d have done the same for me.” Mallory lowered her gaze to her hands and they sat in awkward silence for a few minutes. “You think you can eat?” Mallory groaned as the thought of food made her stomach roll. “What about coffee? Want to start there?” She nodded, gratefully. “Coffee would be great.” They sat on the couch, sipping coffee and chatting for a long while until Daryl’s stomach growled loudly. “OK, we need to feed you,” Mallory laughed. “Wanna go to Dale’s?” 

Daryl drove Mallory to her car and then followed her home. “Come on up,” Mallory called to Daryl. He followed her up to her loft. “Nice place,” Daryl commented as they stepped inside. “Thanks. I really lucked out and got it before it was even posted as available.” Daryl looked around at her comfortable mismatched furniture that fit the place perfectly. Several plants sat on shelves facing in front of one of the large windows, soaking up the warm sun. A huge fluffy rug covered the floor in front of her couch and a TV hung from the brick wall facing the couch. The kitchen was a small area just off the living room and there was an area for a dining room table between the spaces. Mallory’s bedroom full bathroom was upstairs. “Make yourself comfortable. There’s stuff to drink in the fridge if you want.” Mallory climbed the stairs to her room and began digging through her closet and dresser for jeans and a t-shirt.

After quickly changing, they made their way to Dale’s and found a table in the back. “Hey, you two!” Beth greeted. “Any more of your group coming or is it just you guys?” Daryl told her that it was just the two of them. “You having breakfast or lunch?” Dale’s served breakfast all day every day because shift workers like breakfast too, and Dale understood that. They both said they wanted breakfast at the same time. “Jinx!” Mallory laughed. Beth told them she’d bring coffee while they decided what they wanted. 

“So, how bad was I really?” Mallory asked as she cut into her pancakes. Daryl grinned, looking down at his eggs. “There may have been some crying involved.” Mallory groaned, her cheeks turning red. “Jesus. I’m so sorry.” Daryl shook his head and smiled. That smile was what always got to Mallory. Daryl was always so quiet and most of his smiles were bashful ones, so when he really smiled, it completely lit up his whole face. “I promise, you weren’t that bad. Don’t even worry about it.” She reached across the table and covered his hand with hers. She waited for him to look into her eyes. “Thank you for everything, Daryl.”

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Negan was driving their rig like a bat out of hell. It was storming like a bitch and the rain was coming down faster than the wipers could keep up with. “Dude, I know that time’s a factor, but so is us getting there alive. Would you please slow the fuck down?” Negan laughed like a loon while Daryl white-knuckle gripped the armrest. “Pussy!” Daryl side-eyed his work partner and swore that one day he was going to punch him square in that mouth of his. “We’re almost there anyway,” Negan conceded as he slowed down. “Speakin’ of pussy,” Negan glanced over to Daryl waiting for him to spill it. It had been days since they all had gone out and he had yet to get anything out of him. “Did you and Mallory get a little freaky deeky?” “Fuck you, Negan.” “WHAT! We’re partners and friends. You can talk to me about this shit. I tell you all about my exploits.” Daryl let out a long, exasperated sigh and squeezed his eyes shut, dreading the endless shit he was about to get. “She was drunk and she passed out before I even got in the truck. I didn’t know where her place was so I took her to my place. She puked in the bushes and all down the front of her dress. I ended up wrapping her in a towel and putting her in the tub to clean her up and then I put her in my bed before I crashed on my couch. Absolutely nothing happened.” 

Daryl waited for the raucous laughter, but Negan was silent. “Well?” Daryl ventured. “Good job, man.” Daryl was gobstruck. “What? You’re not gonna give me hell for not getting laid?” Negan simply shook his head. “Hell no! She was impaired. You can’t get proper consent.” Negan was as quiet as Daryl as he parked the truck at the scene of their call. Daryl started to open his door when Negan opened his mouth again. “She was sober the next day, though.” Negan busted up when Daryl muttered under his breath. 

“So he never mentioned you trying to kiss him?” Tara asked. Mallory was catching up on her charting and Tara was giving her the third degree about her and Daryl. “Nope. Not one word. And frankly, I don’t know how to take it. Should I be flattered that he’s trying to protect me from maybe feeling embarrassed, or is he not interested?” Tara shook her head and sat down beside her. “Girl, he’s mad into you! It’s like, crystal clear. Maybe he just is that much of a gentleman. You know, he could be one of the rare ones that was raised right and was taught manners and respect and shit.” Mallory shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe. I just don’t know how to read him.” “So, maybe you should ask him out or have him over for dinner and you try it again, see where it goes,” Tara suggested. Mallory sighed and rolled her head from side to side, cracking her tense neck. “That’s a thought, but I really want him to ask me out, you know?” Mallory’s back was to the hall so she could focus on charting, so she didn’t see Negan and Daryl pass with a patient. Tara covertly put a finger to her lips in a shush gesture as they went by. She had a plan. “Crap! I left my stethoscope in a room! Be right back.”

Tara waited as they offloaded their patient. “Hey, Daryl. Negan, can I borrow you for a sec?” Negan sauntered over and draped his arm around her shoulders. “I knew that I could convince you to switch teams.” “UGH… Jesus, you’re gross. That’s not what I want. I need to talk to you about something.” Negan followed her into an empty room and she filled him in on the kiss. “He wouldn’t kiss her because she was drunk and now she’s not sure if he’s interested in her.” “Interesting. Well, I can tell you that he’s fuckin’ crazy about her. Let me see what I can get out of him.” 

Daryl knew from the moment Negan rounded the corner with that fucking cocky grin, that he was going to start some shit about something. What Negan saw was Mallory smiling at Daryl like he was the best thing since sliced bread. The girl had it bad for Daryl. He just had to make sure that Daryl didn’t go all choir boy shy on her. “Evenin’, Mallory”, Negan greeted as he sidled up to Daryl. “How you doin’, gorgeous?” “I’m fabulous, Negan. How are you?” As soon as he started to reply, his and Daryl’s radios alerted. “Hey, I’ll catch up with you later,” Daryl told Mallory before heading out. 

“Tell me about the kiss that didn’t happen.” They had just gotten into the truck and Daryl was attempting to get the address for their next call into the GPS. “Fuck me,” he sighed. “I wasn’t sure if she remembered that or not.” “C’mon man! Let’s talk about this “almost” kiss.” Daryl told him about getting Mallory into a warm bath to get her cleaned up and her leaning in for a kiss. “I couldn’t do that to her. I didn’t want her to wake up and regret kissing me because she was drunk.” Daryl cautiously navigated the truck in the torrential downpour, telling Negan that he wanted everything with her to be special. “You really got it bad for her, don’t ya?” He watched Daryl as he thought about how he wanted to answer. “Just shoot straight with me, dude. I ain’t gonna give you any shit.” Finally, Daryl nodded. “Yeah. I think she’s someone that I want to get to really know. I want to know everything about her.” They pulled up on the scene of their call and Daryl was struck with a thought. “How did you know about this kiss?” Negan laughed as he unloaded the stretcher. “I have my ways.”

“You’re still here?” Tara asked. Mallory was hanging around after her shift. “Yeah, I was kinda hoping that Daryl might come back through.” “Well, I’m off in an hour if you feel like hanging around that long. We can go grab some food or something.” Mallory thought about it for a few seconds. “Nah. I think I’m just gonna go home and soak in a hot bath and listen to the storm.” “Alright, girl. Be safe. You work tomorrow?” Mallory grabbed her bag and nodded. “You know it.”

Negan and Daryl headed back to Grady ER. They’d been on the scene for what felt like hours. The patient was stable and seemingly unhurt, but it had taken the fire department forever to secure the car enough to extricate the victim. Negan had time to fill Daryl in on his and Tara’s conversation. “I’m gonna ask her out on a real date when we clear this call.” Negan clapped Daryl on the back. “HOT DAMN! It’s about time, my friend!” Negan could tell that Daryl was getting anxious to get back to Grady, but the weather was making the task of getting the driver out of the car much harder than normal. “Yeah, I just hope she’s still there.”

“Tara,” Daryl called after they unloaded their patient. “Is Mallory still here? I need to talk to her.” Tara was rushing to clock out before she ended up having to stay any longer than she already had. “Nope. Sorry, dude. She left more than an hour ago. She said something about going home and soaking in a hot bath.” Daryl let out a frustrated sigh. “You could try calling her.” Daryl ran a hand through his hair and nodded to Tara. “Thanks. Listen, if you talk to her before I do will you let her know I want to ask her something?” 

Mallory was sunk low in the steaming water. Only candlelight and the flashes of lightning lit her bathroom. She had Daryl burning through her mind like an out of control fire. He had this voice that she just couldn’t get enough of. It was low and gravelly and it sent chills through her every time she heard it. His eyes were intense but such a beautiful blue that softened him. They told that he had a gentleness to him. Mallory let her mind and the music take her away. She was thinking back to the night that she spent at his place. What if things had gone differently? She imagined the way his lips would feel against her own. She could feel his hot breath on her skin, his hands on her, touching her the way she knew only he would. It would be slow and gentle at first. Her hands were on her breasts, squeezing them gently and teasing her nipples with her fingertips. It was just the way she knew he would be. 

You make it look like it's magic  
'Cause I see nobody, nobody but you, you, you  
I'm never confused  
Hey, hey

I'm so used to being used  
So I love when you call unexpected  
'Cause I hate when the moment's expected  
So I'ma care for you, you, you  
I'ma care for you, you, you, you, yeah  
'Cause girl you're perfect  
You're always worth it  
And you deserve it  
The way you work it  
'Cause girl you earned it, yeah  
Girl you earned it, yeah

She let her mind take control and her hands followed its commands. She felt his skin on hers and imagined what it would be like to run her fingers across his broad shoulders and down his back. She pictured his hands exploring her body, her breath becoming deeper and faster. She could feel his body slip between her legs and she let them drop open. She slid her hand along her belly all the way down. “Can I touch you here, Mallory?” She just knew he’d ask first. The very idea of him asking nearly made her come undone. She slipped her fingers between her thighs. Her touch was just as she imagined Daryl’s would be. “You’re so wet for me, Mallory.” She rubbed her finger in circles faster and faster. She could imagine him pressed against her body and felt his heat. She writhed around in the tub, chasing after that blissful release. “I wanna make you cum, Mallory.” She cried out, pleading for him to keep going. “I’m not stopping, sweetheart. Just let go. Let me get you there.” Her head fell back and she moaned loudly as she came undone to her thoughts of Daryl.

So I love when you call unexpected  
'Cause I hate when the moment's expected  
So I'ma care for you, you, you  
I'ma care for you, you, you, you, yeah  
'Cause girl you're perfect (girl you're perfect)  
You're always worth it (you're always worth it)  
And you deserve it (and you deserve it)  
The way you work it (the way you work it)  
'Cause girl you earned it (earned it, yeah)  
Girl you earned it (earned it, yeah)  
On that lonely night (lonely night)  
You said it wouldn't be love  
But we felt the rush (felt the love)  
It made us believe it there was only us (only us)  
Convinced we were broken inside, yeah  
Inside, yeah  
'Cause girl you're perfect (girl you're perfect)  
You're always worth it (you're always worth it)  
And you deserve it (and you deserve it)  
The way you work it (the way you work it)  
'Cause girl you earned it (girl you earned it, yeah)  
Girl you earned it (you earned it, yeah)  
Nana nana  
So girl you're worth it  
The way you work it  
You deserve it  
I can tell you

Daryl tried calling Mallory on his way home, but when he got to her voicemail he figured she’d fallen asleep. He was too keyed up to consider sleeping himself. He’d mentally prepared to ask her out and was let down that he couldn’t get it done. He stripped out of his boots and uniform at the door and headed straight to the shower. It’d been a shit day as far as calls and weather and all he wanted was a hot shower and his bed. His bed that still smelled like Mallory. He was almost ashamed that he laid in bed, smelling his pillow every night. He turned on the water and waited for it to get hot and thought about Mallory, naked in his tub. Sure, he hadn’t seen her nude, he wanted her to be in control when that happened, but the curves of her body beneath the towel was enough. 

The spray poured over his head and down his neck and he couldn’t get her out of his mind. What if she hadn’t been drunk and she had kissed him? He bet her lips were soft as silk. He thought of kissing her slow and deep as his body began to react. “Touch me, Daryl.” She kissed his neck and pulled his earlobe with her teeth. She would be hellfire, just what he needed to balance out his shy ways. “Tell me what you want me to do, Daryl. Do you want me to touch your cock?” Oh God yes he did. He wanted her to touch him there. Just like that. “Show me how you want me to do it, Daryl. I want to make it so good for you.” Daryl gripped his dick in his hand and stroked it slow and easy at first. He felt her hands on his body, her lips on his skin. “Does it feel good, Daryl?” He moaned as his climax neared at lightning speed. “Cum for me, Daryl. I want to watch you cum and then I want to get you hard again so you can fuck me so good. Do it for me, baby.” Daryl’s legs shook as he came to the sound of her imagined voice. 

Daryl climbed into bed a short time later, completely spent. He glanced at his phone and saw that there were no missed calls. He shifted under the covers and hooked his arm around the pillow that still smelled like Mallory and drifted off to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

It had been a long three days. Mallory’s battery was dead in her phone when Daryl tried calling. He hadn’t left a voicemail so she had no idea that he’d called. He was off for two days and when he went back to work Mallory had the day off. “She called you yet?” Negan asked. Daryl was in the back of the truck checking off the supplies. “Nah. Maybe she doesn’t want to call me.” Negan sighed, exasperated, and frustrated. “Hold on a sec.” He took out his phone and texted Tara. 

Negan: Is your girl working today?

Tara: Looking at her right now. Y?

Negan: 😈

Tara: Fuckin’ perv

Negan: You love it 😈 

“You done back there or not?” Negan called to Daryl? “Just finished.” He climbed out of the back of the truck and Negan clapped his back. “Get in. I’m driving.” 

They walked into Grady ER and right into a large man in military fatigues, bear-hugging Mallory. She was squealing and he was laughing. All of the nurses at the main nurse’s station were smiling and some were even snapping pictures. Daryl felt completely let down. Who was he to think that someone as beautiful as Mallory would be interested in him? He didn’t say a word, simply turned right around and headed back out to the truck. In all the commotion, Negan hadn’t noticed that Daryl had dropped out of the picture. “Hey, gorgeous!” he greeted as he came up beside Tara. “Hey, ass.” Negan laughed. He and Tara both knew that he was harmless, no matter what he said. “Who’s Captain America?” “That is Abraham. Mallory’s big brother. He just got back from a double tour in Afghanistan and surprised Mallory. She had no idea he was coming home.” “Well hell! This calls for a celebration! You up for a party after our shift, Daryl?” He turned to find that his partner was nowhere to be found. “That asshole”, Negan sighed. “Be right back, darlin’.”

“The fuck you doin’ out here?” Negan asked Daryl who was leaned up against the front of the truck, ankles crossed out in front of him. “Just came out for some air.” Daryl kept his eyes pointed at the ground. “Well, we’re about to plan a homecoming party for Captain America.” Daryl grunted and tipped up his chin in response. “If you’d kept your jealous ass in there for a half a second you’d know that your girl’s brother just got home from a double tour in Afghanistan.” He raised his eyes to Negan. “Her brother?” “Yeah, jackass,” Negan sniggered. “Let’s get back in there before we get a call.”

“Daryl!” Mallory called out happily. She waved him over and held out her hand for him. He felt like such a fool for jumping off the deep end and thinking the worst. “I want you to meet my brother. Daryl, this is Abraham. Abraham, Daryl.” They shook hands and made pleasantries for a moment. Daryl couldn’t help but notice how happy Mallory looked. “Negan is putting together a little welcome home thing for us tonight. Are you gonna be there?” Mallory asked, biting her lower lip and driving Daryl out of his mind. “Hold on, sis. You didn’t tell me you were seeing anybody.” Daryl looked to Mallory to take this one. There was no way he was about to stick his foot in his mouth. “Daryl and I are just talking, Abe. We’re just started getting to know one another, so don’t go getting all protective, big brother on me.” Abe eyed Daryl for a moment. “He seems pretty harmless, so I guess I can go easy on him.” Daryl laughed, but he honestly didn’t know if he should be amused or offended. Abe clapped Daryl on the back, hard. “So, see ya tonight at this party?” “Wouldn’t miss it.”

Mallory grabbed Daryl’s hand once Abe wandered off to talk to a cute nurse he’d been eyeballing since he walked through the door. Tara had talked to Mallory and told her about what Negan had been telling her about Daryl. She knew that Daryl had the hots for her something fierce, but she also knew that Daryl was awkward and shy and he was having a bit of a hard time just coming out and asking her on a proper date. She also knew, thanks to Negan, that Daryl had finally gotten the nerve up to ask her out, but she was already home by the time he got back to Grady and she didn’t know that he’d called her until today. “So, I was thinking that we could make this a date tonight. You know, if you wanted to.” Daryl’s heart started to race and his palms got a little sweaty, but he managed to play it cool. He looked into those gorgeous green eyes of hers and smirked. “Thought we were just talking.” Mallory smacked his shoulder playfully and laughed. “Pick me up at eight.” With a mile-wide smile, Daryl nodded and started to walk away. “Hey, Daryl,” Mallory called. He stopped and turned and Mallory planted a sweet kiss on his cheek. “I can’t wait for tonight.” Some of the nurses started oohing and ahhing and Daryl felt himself start to blush from head to toe. “See you at eight,” he muttered and then beat feet out the door before she could see him turn beet red.

Daryl parked his truck beside Mallory’s car and headed to her door. He had on a gray button-down shirt and dark gray jeans. He carried a small bouquet of flowers. He thought that a first date called for a sweet gesture. He took a breath and knocked on her door and waited. Mallory answered a minute later. She was stunning. Her hair was down and she was wearing a yellow strapless sundress and sandals. “You look incredible,” Daryl said almost a little too excitedly. Mallory chuckled and thanked him. “Are those for me?” Mallory pointed to the flowers. “Oh, yeah.” Mallory pulled a daisy from the bouquet and tucked it behind her ear. Daryl smiled. “Perfect.” Mallory reached out and took his hand and held it until they got to his truck. 

Negan knew the manager of Naples Italian Restaurant and sweet-talked her into booking the back room for the evening. Roughly a dozen or so people were there to celebrate Abraham’s homecoming. Abe had asked Amy, the pretty blond nurse he had been eyeing, to be his date for the evening and she had immediately agreed. Mallory was good people, so her brother had to be, too. In the very short time they had to talk, there was already an attraction. 

Daryl was the perfect gentleman. He had his arm around Mallory’s waist when they entered the reserved room. He pulled out her chair for her and pushed it in once she was seated. Abe noticed. He wasn’t obvious about watching his baby sister, but he kept his big brother's eye on the situation. He was glad to see Mallory looking so happy. Something told him that there was more to it than simply “just talking and getting to know one another”. Daryl looked at her like she hung the moon. 

After dinner and after talking with Abraham for a good portion of the night, Daryl and Mallory headed out. “If it’s not too late for you, would you maybe wanna go for a walk?” Daryl asked. Mallory noticed that the nervous edge he’d had was finally gone. He even looked more relaxed. “That sounds nice,” Mallory smiled. He drove them to a walking trail along the river. The moon was full and was reflecting a beautiful glow off the water’s surface. He took her hand and they walked along quietly for a bit. “Listen, I know I’m kind of awkward. I don’t mean to be, I just… I really like you, Mallory. I like being around you. I’ve really enjoyed the times we’ve hung out.” “I like you, too, Daryl.” She stopped and looked up into his blue eyes. Eyes that she could get lost in. “I want to know more about you.” The wind kicked up a bit and blew her hair into her face. Daryl reached out and tucked it behind her ear, careful not to cause the daisy to fall. “I think I owe you something,” he said. He brushed his thumb over her cheek, staring into her big, green eyes. He cupped her jaw with his hand, it was so warm and she thought she would lose her mind right there. Mallory could hear her heart beating in her ears and she felt a rush of heat burst through her entire body. He leaned in and tilted his head ever so slightly. His lips were soft, and his kiss was sweet and tender. Daryl’s heart was hammering in his chest. He’d wanted to kiss her for so long and now, here he was. Mallory brought her hands to his arms and moved closer. She opened her mouth with his, feeling his tongue against hers and on her lips was better than she ever could have imagined. She’d never been kissed the way Daryl was kissing her now. No kiss had ever caused her to feel this electrically charged. Daryl’s hands cradled her face as they continued to kiss. He moved even closer to her and he could feel her chest heaving against his. 

When he stopped, he rested his forehead on hers. They both were breathless. “I didn’t forget.” Mallory let out a little laugh. “Well, I’m certainly glad that you didn’t. I’m even more glad that we waited.” Daryl stepped back and looked at her with a little smirk. “Yeah, me too. You puked in the bushes not too long before you tried to kiss me.” “OH MY GOD! You jerk!” Mallory laughed, pushing him playfully. Daryl pulled her back and wrapped his strong arms around her. “I’m only teasing. I just wanted it to be special. I want everything with you to be that way.” 

They walked for a while longer, neither wanting the night to end. Daryl was finally finding that he wasn’t so nervous around Mallory. Stopping and kissing her had not been thought out or planned, it just happened and it was perfect. Mallory made him laugh. He loved her spirited sense of humor. “Is Abraham your only sibling?” Mallory nodded. “Yeah, my parents decided that two redheaded children were enough. What about you? You got any brothers or sisters?” I have an older brother, Merle. He owns a garage in Senoia. He’s married and him and Carol have a new baby girl, Sophia.” Daryl proudly showed off pictures of his brand new niece. “She’s adorable! I want a whole house full of babies one day.” Mallory cringed. That wasn’t something a guy wants to hear on the first date. “A whole house full, huh? I think I’d be happy with two or three.” “Yeah, I probably shouldn’t have dropped the whole “I want a house full of babies” nugget on our first date, though.” Daryl laughed. “Yeah, that’s at least second date info.” 

They held hands all the way back to Mallory’s apartment, chatting the entire drive there. “I had a good time tonight,” Mallory said as she turned to face Daryl. “Me too. When are you off again?” She thought for a second and told him that she was working through the weekend and Monday, but was off through Thursday after that. “I’m working too. I’m off Wednesday. Would you want to go for a ride on my motorcycle? I know a place that’s a really nice ride. I mean, if you want to do something else we can.” “Well, I’ve never been on a motorcycle before, and I do like a little adventure.” Daryl put his hand on the small of her back and eased a little closer to her. “All you gotta do is put your arms around my waist and lean with me. You’ll love it. Wear jeans and boots if you got any.” Mallory grinned, biting her bottom lip. “Yeah, I got the perfect boots for riding. I can’t wait!” Daryl couldn’t wait another second. He closed the distance between them and kissed her. It was long and deep and sweet. Mallory was breathless and her eyes still closed when Daryl pulled away. “Did you want to come in?” “Nah. We both have to work tomorrow.” Mallory kissed Daryl this time. Just a soft, lingering kiss on the lips. “Thank you for tonight.”


	7. Chapter 7

Mallory was exhausted. Somehow she’d been suckered into turning her twelve-hour shift into a twenty-four-hour one. It was that weird witching hour sometime in the middle of the night when things could go one way or another. As long as no one said the “Q” word… Glenn, the new night nurse came up to the nurse’s station after he finished discharging a patient. “Wow! It sure is quiet! I thought that Grady would always be slammed.” Mallory, who’d been resting her head on her arms, shot him a death glare and threw a stress ball at him, bouncing it off his forehead. “What the hell?” “You just jinxed us, you dork! Didn’t they teach you that you NEVER say that word?” Glenn ducked his head in shame and muttered a quiet “sorry” before walking off. “Geez Mal”, Tara said as she walked up behind Mallory. “You’re gonna run off the fresh meat if you keep throwing shit.” Mallory tipped her head back and looked at Tara. “I guess that was pretty harsh.” She uncrossed her legs and headed to apologize. 

“Hey Glenn, listen, I was way out of line. I’m sorry.” Glenn stuck out his first and Mallory bumped it with her own. “Is there anything I can do to help you get settled in?” Glenn thought for a moment and told her there was. “Yeah, I need a locker.” “Come with me. I’ll show you our luxurious lounge.”

When they came out a few minutes later they heard Negan calling in a report of a cardiac arrest with CPR in progress. “Alright, Glenn. It’s your time to shine, buddy.” Just a few minutes later Negan and a firefighter wheeled in their patient. Daryl was on top of the patient doing compressions. “Fifty-eight-year-old male, history of COPD, afib, and diabetes. The wife said he woke her up complaining of chest pain, started to walk to the bathroom, and collapsed. Daryl has pushed all the meds and shocked him twice. He got a return of NSR that went straight into vfib. We got him intubated and he went into PEA. He’s been down for about half an hour. Daryl was drenched with sweat. Doing compressions on a patient is exhausting. Glenn jumped in and took over CPR while everyone else worked their protocols to try to save the man.

Daryl went to the EMS lounge to clean himself up while they had a few minutes. When he came back, he heard the unmistakable sound of a wife finding out that despite everyone’s best efforts, they were not able to save her husband. It was his second loss that night. “Hey, Daryl, listen,” Negan started. “Nah, man. I’m not in the mood for the “you did your best but it just wasn’t meant to be” bullshit. I’m tired.” Negan put his hand on Daryl’s shoulder. “Look, I’m sorry. You did everything right. Just know that.”

Daryl sat in the back booth at Dale’s, sullen and staring at his phone. Thank God that shit shift ended after that last call. He was done and looking forward to a few days off. “Hey, you.” Mallory stood beside the booth with a sweet smile on her face. “Heard you had a really shitty night. You wanna talk about it?” “Nope. But I’d love to talk about anything else.” She sat down across from him and Sasha came to bring her a menu and to see if Daryl had changed his mind about food. “We’ll both have the French toast and bacon, please.” Daryl quirked an eyebrow at her. “You bossing me around now?” Mallory chuckled. “You gotta eat. Plus, I don’t like eating alone.”

“I know that you don’t want to talk about it, but you need to know that your guy wasn’t going to make it no matter what. He stopped taking all of his meds months ago.” While it didn’t take away his frustration of losing a patient, that little bit of news did help take away some of the sting. “Thanks for letting me know.” She reached across and squeezed his hand. “So, tell me about this motorcycle ride we’re taking tomorrow.”

After they ate, the tiredness of a long, exhausting shift kicked in. “Why don’t you come to my place and we can pretend to watch tv but actually just sleep?” Mallory offered. She felt like maybe Daryl didn’t need to be alone with his thoughts. “You got extra clothes in your bag?” If Daryl had any ideas of trying to not go, she shot that down. “You sure? I mean, you don’t know if I snore.” “Maybe I snore louder,'' she laughed.

Daryl was nervous about being alone with her and being so close. He didn’t want to rush things with Mallory. It was ok though. Mallory was too tired to think about anything other than crashing with the television on. “Come on in and make yourself comfortable. There’s a bathroom under the stairs if you wanna change. I’m gonna throw on some pajamas and will be right back.”

Daryl carried his bag into the little bathroom under the stairs and stripped out of his uniform. He kept an extra change of clothes, sleep pants, and a t-shirt in his bag because he never knew if he might be sleeping at the station. He put on his gray sleep pants and his faded black shirt and went back to the living room. Mallory came down a few minutes later. She was wearing purple PJ bottoms and a white tank top with hearts on it. 

“What? Why are you grinning like that?” Mallory asked. “You look cute in your pajamas.” Jesus. He cringed mentally. He sounded like a jackass. But she was smiling at him. “You look pretty cute yourself.” She sat down beside him on the couch and scooted close, pulling a blanket from behind her. “Do you happen to watch that zombie show?” Daryl grinned. “I’m hooked on it.” 

They only made it through most of one of the episodes that they were behind. Mallory curled up and laid her head on Daryl’s lap. He couldn’t keep from running his fingers through her thick, auburn locks. This was nice and just what he needed after his bad night. Mallory was putty in his hands. He was so gentle and careful not to pull any snags. When he felt her sag against him as sleep took her over, and he pulled the blanket over her arms. He wasn’t far behind her. She was so warm and feeling her against him was comforting in a way he didn’t know he was missing. He slid in behind her after his head started falling as he drifted off to sleep. He draped one arm over her waist and tucked the other under her head. He fell asleep as she sighed contentedly.

When he woke up it was dark and he was alone on the couch. He sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. “How’d you sleep?” Mallory stood before him holding a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. She was so adorable with her hair up in a messy bun and no makeup covering the sprinkle of freckles across her nose and cheeks. “Better than I have in a long time. You?” “Best sleep ever. You don’t snore, by the way.” Daryl chuckled as he took the plate. Mallory went to get her own and asked what he wanted to drink. “I have wine, beer, water, soda, and iced tea.” “Iced tea sounds good.” 

When she returned she was carrying a tray with her plate, garlic bread, a pitcher of iced tea, and two glasses. Daryl stood, taking the tray so Mallory could sit down. “I’m sorry. I should have gone to help you.” “Relax, Daryl. You’re my guest and I’m kind of enjoying this.” Daryl poured their drinks and then handed her her food. “This looks amazing.” “I can make a mean spaghetti, but that’s about it. I’ve been thinking about taking some cooking classes if I ever get the time. What about you? I bet you’re an awesome cook, aren’t you?” Daryl gave her an impish look and nodded. “I can cook. How about I make dinner for us after our ride tomorrow? Or, I can take you out if you’d rather.” She chewed her bite nodding her head. “I like the idea of a quiet dinner, just the two of us.” “Hmmm. I’m sensing a trend,” Daryl teased.

After he helped clean up their dinner dishes, Daryl decided that he better head home. “You sure?” Mallory asked as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She was shameless in that she wanted him to stay. She wanted to see what he was hiding underneath his clothes. He looked down at her and she was biting her bottom lip. She knew just what she was doing. Mallory watched his eyes close as he leaned forward to kiss her. He wound his fingers in her hair and she let out a little moan when he parted her lips with his tongue. She backed up to the wall, pulling his body against hers. Mallory trailed her fingers down his neck and across those big sexy shoulders that drove her wild. She rubbed her hands down his chest and gathered his shirt in her hands, pulling him even closer. “We have to stop,” Daryl groaned. He kissed her forehead then rested his head in hers. “I don’t want to stop, but I want to know you better first.” Mallory was breathless, but she smiled. “You’re a good man, Daryl Dixon. See you tomorrow.” He kissed her goodnight and left despite desperately wanting to stay. 

“So, who’s the girl?” Merle asked. “A nurse I know. She works at Grady ER.” Merle sidled up beside his brother, lighting a cigarette. “She pretty?” Daryl’s expression told him everything he needed to know. Daryl had it bad for this girl. “Well hell! Bring her over to meet the family!” Daryl finished checking his motorcycle over to make sure it was road-ready since he hadn’t been out on it for a while. “I’m planning on it. I just want a little time to get to know her first.” Merle looked at him out of the corner of his eyes. “Fair enough. Where you takin’ her today?” Daryl told him that he was taking her to Dahlonega. “She’s never ridden before so I don’t want to wear her out too much for her first ride.” Merle nodded in approval. “That’s a good first ride. You takin’ her out for dinner after?” Daryl couldn’t help but chuckle. He and his brother had always been close and Merle had always taken his role as big brother very seriously. He was always making sure that Daryl was doing just what he was supposed to do. “I’m making dinner for us at my place.” “Don’t that sound cozy?” Daryl rolled his eyes. “I really like her, so I’m taking my time getting to know her.” “Huh… She must be something special.” Daryl climbed onto his bike and looked up at Merle. “She is. I feel like everything lights up when she’s around. I mean, I can’t explain it. There’s just something about her.” “Well go on then. Get the hell outta here and go get your girl.” 

Mallory was anxiously waiting for Daryl and texting Tara. 

Tara: So u 2 slept on the couch & he didn’t unleash the beast???

Mallory: No. I asked him to stay the nite but he wants 2 go slow

Tara: What do u want?

Mallory: The beast. But it’s kinda sweet that he wants to take his time 

Tara: I think I like this guy.

Mallory: He’s here. Text u later!

Tara: Have fun!

Daryl helped Mallory get her helmet on and then showed her how to get on the bike. “Just put your right foot on the peg and stand up, then throw your left leg across the seat. Hold onto my shoulders.” You have no idea what you’re asking of me. She thought to herself. Once she was seated he reached back for her hands and pulled them around his waist. “Just lean with me. Don’t jerk one way or another. It’ll cause us to crash.” Mallory was scared and excited all at the same time. He started the bike and pulled out nice and slow. “I’m gonna take it easy until you’re used to it.” 

It didn’t take her long before she loosened her death grip on his waist and she started to enjoy it. She understood now why people liked to ride. It was freeing, almost like being a bird. The wind was cool on her despite her jeans and jacket. The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day. She wanted to do this as often as they could. 

Daryl stopped and parked the bike near a river about halfway through the ride. “I thought you might want to give your ass a break for a little while.” Mallory agreed as she took off her helmet. She had to admit that while the ride was nice, she could use a good stretch. 

The left their helmets and jackets on the bike and walked down to the riverside. It was so pretty and so quiet. “So, what do you think? You like riding?” Mallory was positively glowing. “Oh my god! I love it! Can we do this a lot?” Daryl grinned as he took her hand. “As often as you like.” The sat by the river’s edge and just listened to the flow and the sounds of birds chirping happily. “This is so nice. The perfect way to spend a day off. Thank you, Daryl.” She leaned to the side and kissed his cheek. “It’s not over yet. I have dinner all planned out.” “So, why did you decide to become a paramedic?” Daryl laid back with his hands linked beneath his head. Mallory noticed the demon tattoo on his bicep. She’d be asking about that too. “I always liked helping people, but I couldn’t handle the pressure of pre-med. It was just too much classwork, and it didn’t feel right. My brother actually suggested paramedic school, so I thought I’d give it a shot. If that hadn’t worked out, I would have gone to work with him at his garage. What about you? Why’d you become a nurse?” “It’s what I always wanted to do. I thought that I wanted to work in labor and delivery, but when I did my ER rotation I knew that’s exactly where I wanted to be.” 

They laid on the river bank, holding hands a little longer. They talked about random things about themselves. Daryl told her about growing up in Senoia. He’d graduated with honors and was at the top of his class in paramedic school. “I bet your parents are proud of their successful sons.” Daryl grew quiet and Mallory knew she’d just stuck her foot in her mouth. “I’m sorry. Did I just say something wrong?” Daryl shook his head. “Nah. My mom passed away last year and dad’s not doing so great. He’s in a dementia care facility. Merle and me tried to take care of him, and we had home health nurses coming out, but he kept wandering off. He found his keys one night and took off. It took us almost a whole day to find him. That’s when we knew we had to move him to a long term care place.” Mallory sat up, looking at Daryl with a mixture of understanding, compassion, and sadness. “Oh, Daryl. I’m so sorry. That has to be so hard.” “It’s alright. I mean, it is what it is and all Merle and me can do is deal with it. Dad still has his good days and we try to be there when he has them.” Mallory squeezed his hand. “I’d love to meet him.” 

They talked about happier things before heading out on the last half of the ride. It had been good getting to know some of their personal issues and how they came to be who they are. As Mallory became more and more comfortable on the motorcycle, Daryl went faster and faster. She loved every second of it. By the time they made it back to Daryl’s apartment, they were road tired and starving. 

“Make yourself at home. I’ll get dinner started. “You really don’t have to go to any trouble. I’m sure you’re tired. We can just order in if you want.” Daryl shook his head. “I promised my girl dinner and that’s what she’s getting. Besides, I put it all together after I came home last night. All I have to do is put it in the oven.” Mallory excused herself to the bathroom to wash up and try to do something with her helmet hair. She was completely taken with him already. There was just something about him that went deeper than his good looks and his charm that already captured her heart. She really wanted this all to work out. 

Daryl had the table all set. He’d even pulled out his mother’s good china for dinner. The candles on the table were lit and the wine was poured. “It smells incredible. How’d you learn to cook?” “My mom. I was always kind of a mama’s boy at heart. And, don’t you dare laugh.” Mallory took the glass of wine he was offering and kissed him. “I would never laugh. I think it’s sweet that you had a close relationship with your mom.”

Daryl served spinach artichoke stuffed chicken breasts with salad. “Dude! That was freakin amazing!” Daryl laughed as they made their way to the couch. “I’m glad you liked it.” He pulled her feet up onto his lap and started unlacing her boots. “What’re you doing?” He paused for a second, giving her a questioning look. “I thought you might like a foot massage. Is this ok?” “Who am I to turn down a foot rub?” she grinned. 

“I guess you better take me home”, Mallory said when the movie ended. Daryl didn’t want the night to end and neither did she. “You have to work tomorrow, right?” Daryl nodded. “Thank you for today. I had a really good time.” Daryl grinned his little half-grin and told her that he did too. “You wanna go out with me again?” He asked shyly. “Of course I do, goofball,” she chuckled. “When are you off again?” “Not until Monday. We have a girl on maternity leave and they aren’t filling her spot and we’re stretched pretty thin anyway. When are you off again?” “Saturday, then I’m back on Sunday through Thursday.” They both were frustrated with their work schedules. “We’ll figure something out. Besides, I’ll be bringing you work.” There was an awkward silent moment before Mallory decided she needed to break it. “Listen, I’ve had the best time with you. I know this is all new, and we’re just getting to know one another, but I really like you and I can see this going somewhere.” Daryl let out a breath and smiled. “I’m so glad you said that. I was trying to figure out how to say that without sounding like a jackass.” Mallory slid closer, placing her hand on his cheek. “I want to keep seeing you. I want to know you.” Daryl rubbed the pad of his thumb across her cheek, coming in closer to her beautiful face. They both were breathless. He was kissing her before she knew what was happening, but she instantly melted into him. Daryl started to let himself lose control and he pulled her into his lap. He thrust his hands into hair and she gripped his shoulders. They were all lips and tongue and heavy breathing. Daryl took a chance and bit her bottom lip just like he had in all of his fantasies. She moaned and he jerked her against him, running his hands along her ribs. “Daryl,” Mallory panted. He pulled her hair back and kissed all down her neck. “If we don’t stop now I’m not going to be able to.” He ran his tongue from her collar bone to just below her ear and sucked her soft skin. She let out a moan that hit him all the way in his balls. She felt his hard-on pressing against the crotch of her jeans and she wanted all of it. “We have to stop. We’re going slow, remember?” Daryl stopped his sweet torture, still gripping her ass. “I’m sorry. You’re so beautiful, it’s all I can do to not take you to my bed. But I want it to be perfect.”


	8. Chapter 8

“You look frustrated,” Tara commented as she handed Mallory a cup of coffee. Mallory wasn’t amused. In fact, she was wound rather tight. “Dude, you have no idea. I need some release and I need it soon.” Tara came around and sat at the nurse’s station next to her friend. “So, I take it it’s not gone any further than making out?” Mallory let out a long sigh. “And he’s so fucking good at it.” Tara laughed. “It’s not funny. I know he could wreck me and I want him to.” Mallory watched as Tara sat quietly, clearly trying to come up with some creative way to get her bestie laid.

“I got it!” Tara said a little too loudly. “Phone sex!” Some of the other nurses turned and looked at her strangely. “Sorry. We’re discussing a movie.” They went on about their business because that was far from the strangest thing they heard on any given shift. “Jesus, Tara! Could you just announce it over the Intercom next time?” “I got excited. What can I say? Hear me out. Get him all fired up with some smack talk on the phone. Let him hear you, you know, get yourself…” Mallory held up her hand. “Got it! I get the gist.” She took a quick look around to make sure no one was in hearing distance and told Tara to go on. “I mean, get really into it. Make sounds that get his gears grinding, so to speak. Make him listen to you, you know. And then tell him you want to listen to him do that too.” “God this is awkward.” Mallory groaned. “You want the D or not?” “Ugh… I’m listening,” Mallory relented. “If that doesn’t get him busting down your door I have another idea.”

Daryl heard his phone ringing and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. He knew it was Mallory heading home from another double. “Hey you,” he answered. “How was your shift?” “Endless. Did I wake you?” “Yeah, but ‘s ok. I missed your voice.” Mallory smiled. This could be her way into making Tara’s plan work. “Oh yeah? My voice the only thing you missed?” “No. I miss your lips.” Perfect. He just opened Pandora’s box for her. “I’m so wired. I ran my ass off tonight. Maybe you could help me unwind.” Her voice was low and sultry and she could hear Daryl suck in a deep breath. “What’d you have in mind?” He asked with a hint of nerves. “You ever talk dirty on the phone before?”

Daryl sat straight up in bed. Was she asking what he thought she was asking? He’d never done that and wasn’t sure if he even could. “I haven’t. I know that probably makes me lame.” Mallory was already undressing. This was going to be fun. “Not at all, baby.” Baby? She hadn’t called him that before. “Put your phone on speaker so your hands are free.” Daryl did as asked, dropping his phone on the bed and cursing about it in the process. “Just relax. This is all about getting nice and comfortable and exploring what we like. You ok with that?” He had to clear his throat before he could answer. He mentally kicked himself for stammering. His heart was racing already, and his dick was perked up at the thought of being paid some attention. 

“Just lay back and relax, Daryl. Do what comes naturally. We’ll talk our way through it together.” For the life of him, he couldn’t keep his voice from giving away his nervousness. “Don’t be scared or shy. We all touch ourselves.” How could she be so forward and so confident? They’d come so close a few times, but always stopped because they wanted it to be right. Was she trying to tell him it was time? He didn’t know for sure, but he was excited about this despite his stupid nerves. 

“What are you wearing?” She asked. “Ummm, just boxers.” “Mmmmm…. I bet your skin is so warm. Are you hard, Daryl? Does the thought of me touching your bare skin make your dick hard?” His breathing was deep and heavy and she could hear him. “Yeah.” His reply was almost a whisper. Still so shy. It really was quite endearing to find a good man with strong values and convictions like him. “I’m down to my bra and panties. They’re dark purple and lacy.”

Daryl swallowed hard. “Take off your bra.” Was that his voice? Did he really just get into this? Holy fuck! This was going better than she thought already. He heard her shift around and imagined her reaching behind her back and unhooking it, then sliding the straps down her arms. “My nipples are hard and they’re so sensitive.” He could picture her rubbing her hands over them and he wished it was him instead. “I bet your hands would feel so much better than mine. So strong and so hot on my skin.” Dead. He was fucking dead. His balls were beginning to throb with the need to release and he hadn’t even touched his dick yet. 

She ran her hands over her breasts, squeezing them and pulling her nipples enough to make herself moan. “Jesus fuck,” Daryl groaned in response. “You’re killing me, sweetheart.” Mallory half moaned, half laughed. “We’re just getting started. I still have on my panties.” He was sure his balls were going to burst before she was done with him. “My whole body is tingling, Daryl. I need to unwind so bad. Tell me what you want me to do.” She could hear him gulp and move around in his bed. “Move your hands down.” He spoke hardly above a whisper. “Open your legs.” Daryl was slowly getting a little more confident, giving himself over to her moans and heavy breathing. Specifically, his dick was leading this now. “How wet are your panties?” “So wet, baby. ‘S all because I’m thinking of you.” 

Daryl raised his hips off the bed and shoved his boxers down and kicked them off. “Are you touching your cock, Daryl? I want you to. I want to hear you do it.” He felt a hot flush burn through him. It was a little embarrassing and a lot erotic to be doing this. “Yeah. For you I am.” He spit on his palm and began to stroke himself. “Are you touching your…” Daryl was finding it hard to say “pussy” to her. It didn’t seem proper. “Say it, baby. I wanna hear you say the word.” He let out a little grunt that was a mixture of the feeling of his hand on his dick and trying to muster up the courage to be so lewd. “Are you touching your pussy?” “Do you want me to?” He moved his hand faster. “Fuck yes. Take your panties off. I want to hear you get yourself off.” 

He heard her shifting around as she slid her panties down her legs. The thought of her naked was almost enough to make him bust a nut right then, but he was determined for them to get there together. “Spread your legs nice and wide, darlin’.” “They are. Now what do you want me to do?” “Put your fingers in your mouth. Get ‘em wet.” Mallory did as she was asked. “Do it, sweetheart. Rub your fingers on your clit” She let out a sweet sigh and he knew she was doing it. “How would you do this to me? I wanna do it just like that.” This was easily the most erotic thing to ever happen to him and he was pretty sure his heart was going to pound right out of his chest. “Nice and slow, in circles.” Mallory played up her moaning, but only a little. She couldn’t remember ever being this turned on. “Oh yeah, baby. That’s so good.” Daryl slid his hand over the head of his cock. He groaned as his palm glided over the smooth skin that was slick with pre-cum. “Ease your fingers down and slide one in. Do it slow.” 

Mallory cried out as her finger penetrated her pussy. “Oh, Daryl… Mmmmm it’s so fucking good. I wanna cum for you.” He was too far into this to be shy now. His eyes were closed. He was breathing hard. He gave himself over to getting them both off by just talking. “Come on, sweetheart. Do it. I want you to.” She couldn’t talk now, she was too close. “That’s it. I can hear you. You’re almost there, aren’t you?” “Yes! Oh goddammit, yes!” “C’mon then. Do it with me.” 

Mallory’s body contracted and jerked, crying out as sweet release took her to the top and set her free. She could hear Daryl grunting and gasping as he got off. Hot cum spurted onto his hand and belly as he dropped back onto his pillow. “Oh fuck… Jesus, Mallory.” She laid on her own bed, a shaking, quivering mess, trying to catch her breath. “This was…. Damn. This was the hottest thing I’ve ever done.” It was a good minute before she was composed enough to respond. “You ok?” He chuckled. “Yeah. That was amazing wasn’t it?” 

They talked a while longer until Mallory started yawning. “Get some sleep. You’ve been up for too long.” “Maybe a little nap. Call you when I wake up?” “You better.” “Daryl?” “Yeah?” “I’m glad we did that. I needed it.” “Me too. Go to sleep, sweetheart. I’ll talk to you when you wake up.”

She couldn’t sleep though. She kept thinking about their dirty phone call. The sounds he made kept playing over and over in her head and it was making her crazy. All she wanted to do was to get in her car and head straight to his place. 

Daryl was in no better shape. He got out of bed and went to his couch. No girl had ever gotten him as fired up as Mallory. He flipped through the channels on the tv mindlessly, unable to get settled on anything. All he could focus on was Mallory. He wanted her now more than ever. He sat up, running his hands through his hair. The next thing he knew, he was pulling on his jeans and a t-shirt. He slid on some flip-flops, grabbed his keys, and headed to his truck. He had a feeling that Mallory wasn’t sleeping either. 

He pulled up her number and hit send as he walked through the downpour to her doorstep. “Hey you. Couldn’t stay away, huh?” Daryl’s heart was pounding as he stood right in front of her apartment. “Nope. Sorry about it. How about you open your door?” “What?” She laughed. “You heard me. Open your door.” Curiosity got the better of her so without any more questions she went to her door and opened it. Daryl was standing there with his phone still against his ear, and soaked from the rain. He slid his phone into his pocket, stepped inside, and locked the door behind him.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl pays Mallory a visit.

“You work tonight?” Daryl asked. Mallory stood wide-eyed, unable to speak. She shook her head. “Good. I called out. I plan on this taking a while.” Her heart hammered away in her chest. She was glued where she stood. Daryl stood there, his inside out shirt soaked and clinging to his muscles. The sexual tension was palpable. Mallory watched as he stepped out of his flip-flops and strode the few steps to her. Her chest heaved against his as he pressed against her. “You want this? Tell me to stop and it stops right now.” Still unable to make her voice work, she nodded her head. “Be clear, Mallory. Tell me you want it, or I stop right now and go back home.” “I want it,” she finally managed to whisper. He shoved his hands into her hair, fisting it and pulling her head back, smashing his lips against hers. White-hot heat bolted through her and she squeaked as he parted her lips with his tongue. 

He tried walking her backwards to the stairs so he could take her to her bed, but they were stumbling too much, so he led her to the couch instead. He dropped onto his ass and pulled her into his lap. Mallory pulled his wet shirt over his head and tossed it aside. They locked eyes for a moment, both breathing hard already. He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her right up against him. He couldn’t get her close enough. She was kissing him now as he ran his hands up her sides, pulling her tank top off. She felt him fumbling with her bra, feeling for the clasp. “Front hook,'' she said against his lips. She reached between them and unhooked it herself. Daryl cupped her breasts with both hands, rubbing the pads of his thumbs over her hard nipples. She arched her back, thrusting her chest in his face. She was going to die if he didn’t get his mouth on her skin soon. 

He didn’t hesitate. He shoved his face between the most beautiful pair of tits he’d ever seen and worked them over with his mouth. She could have fallen apart just from that alone. He kissed, licked, sucked, and blew hot air onto her flesh, expertly. Mallory ground her crotch against his granite hard cock until he was sure he’d cum in his pants like a randy teenager if she didn’t stop. He shoved his hands down the back of her pajama bottoms, sinking his fingers into her soft flesh. “Take ‘em off,'' he rasped. She stood on shaky legs and slid her pants past her hips and let them fall. She hooked her thumbs in the elastic band of her panties, but Daryl stopped her. “Unh uh. Those are mine.” He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back on top of him.

He kissed her hot and dirty, making his way down her neck. He raked his teeth over her collar bone and she shivered in response. Daryl laid her out on the couch, covering her with his body. She curled her arms around his shoulders and held on for dear life. Her body was burning with want and he was stoking the flames. She rubbed her hands down his back all the way down to his jeans. “Not yet,'' he told her as she tugged at his belt. “Told ya, I plan on this taking a while. I’m going first.”

He laid a trail of fiery kisses down the center of her chest and all over her belly. He ran his tongue along the lace trim of her panties and planted hot, wet kisses on her hips. Mallory lay there, breathless, as she watched the top of his head go lower. Daryl’s hands were hot on her cool thighs as he pushed them apart. His facial hair scratched her soft skin yet felt oh so good. Mallory moaned when she felt his lips on the soft fabric of her underwear. He was teasing her into a state of oblivion. His touch was gentle and exhilarating as he rubbed his fingers over her lips. Her entire body was vibrating with want and anticipation. 

“Please,” she whined, needing more and more every second. She felt him grin against the thin strip of cloth separating his lips from her flesh. Pushing her panties to one side, Daryl gave her what she asked for. She nearly levitated off the couch. The sensation of his hot mouth and tongue licking every millimeter of her was overwhelming. “Oh my fucking god that’s so good!” She cried out. He laved her with his tongue. Slow, languid strokes from her entrance, all along her lips, and in circles around her swollen clit had her pleading for mercy. 

Daryl hooked his fingers into the waistband of her underwear and slid them slowly down her legs, looking up from where he laid. He had the devil’s look in eyes and Mallory was about to combust. He sat up long enough to slip her panties off her ankles and tuck them into his back pocket. She’d argue that point later. For now, though, she was all about what he was doing to her with his mouth. 

He didn’t waste a second. He dove in like a man dipping into a cool pool on a sweltering day. He took his time, enjoying his task as much as Mallory was. His hands were all over her hips and legs, holding her in place when she started to float away from the feeling of it all. When he thought she was ready for more, he touched her with one of his thick fingers. “This ok?” He asked. “It’s all more than ok. I want everything you can give me.” Her reply was breathy and raspy. She clutched the couch cushions in her fists when he plunged his finger inside. Daryl was carried away by her pleas for more. By the sounds he was making he was going to get off just by pleasuring her. 

He parted her lips with his free hand, exposing her bundle of nerves so he could really show her what he was capable of. He pushed his shoulders against her thighs to keep her in place. He curled his fingers as if beckoning her, and relentlessly went after his prize.

Mallory stuttered and swore and she writhed around as much as she was able. He stopped for only a moment right when he knew she was about to come undone. “C’mon, sweetheart. Let go.” Her body stiffened and shook. Bright white poppies bloomed behind her closed eyelids. A long series of constant “oh oh oh” was all she was capable of. Daryl held her right where she was and took his sweet time lapping up all of her juices. 

“D-Daryl… Oh Jesus please…” He slid his hands down her legs as he raised up. He took a moment to admire her and his job well done. She was a shaking mess and he was far from done with her. 

Mallory was able to open her eyes only in little slits. She watched Daryl hurriedly yank at his belt. The sound of his belt buckles metal rattling hit her hard. She didn’t even know that that sound could make anyone hot, but it was burning her up. She watched him shuck his jeans and underwear and reach into his pocket. “No. You don’t need that,” she told him, still out of breath. He looked from her to the condom in his hand and back. “I have the birth control thing in my arm and I’m clean. You?” “No birth control, but I’m clean” he chuckled. “Then get over here.” 

He was over her in a second, gripping his dick in one hand and rubbing it up and down her slit. Mallory moved her hips trying to get him inside her. “You sure?” He asked just to be absolutely certain. “Do it. Do it now.” He slowly eased into her, taking his time and savoring the feeling of their warm, bare flesh joining. Mallory arched against him, digging her nails into his arms. “Oh god yes!” He paused for a beat once he was buried in her. He grabbed her legs and wrapped them over his hips. Mallory linked her ankles together just above his ass and looked into Daryl’s eyes. “Please,'' she whispered. He started out slow and gentle. He told her that he planned on this taking a while and he damn well meant it. 

Mallory rubbed her hands all along the muscles of his back and shoulders and he kissed her neck, running his tongue up and around the edge of her ear. “So tight…. so wet,” he groaned as he began kissing her lips. Mallory met him thrust for thrust, driving him to go faster. The sound of his moaning, the feeling of his hot breath on her skin, and the way he smelled was more intoxicating than the finest wine. “Daryl” Mallory cried out. He growled in response and pulled them up so she was on top. “Ride me, sweetheart. Ride me good.” Mallory linked her arms around his neck and kissed him as she set a leisurely pace, rolling her hips in a sensual dance. Daryl’s hands never stopped touching her, exploring every inch of her perfect body. 

Daryl had never felt anything like he was feeling with Mallory, and it wasn’t just the sex. He felt something that made him feel alive, as if he’d been simply existing. He never wanted to lose this. She was beautiful and smart and wickedly funny. She was everything that he always wanted and even what he didn’t know that he wanted. But right now she was riding his dick like she owned it and that was the prevailing thought. “Oh fuck Daryl! Oh! I’m gonna cum again!” He took hold of her hips and pulled her into his thrusts. “God you’re beautiful.” His voice was low and gravelly. He bent forward, taking her breast into his mouth, licking and sucking her nipples as she came undone.

Daryl watched her body respond to its release. Her brow was arched, eyes closed, mouth opened as she gasped for air. He tried to concentrate only on how she looked. He wasn’t quite ready to be done. He licked her salty, sweet flesh between her breasts and sucked little purple marks on her neck. She was shaking and her voice cracked with every moan and whimper, and her sounds broke him. He stood up, still holding onto her, long enough to turn them around facing the couch. He needed control of this. 

He got her to her knees and kissed all along her spine as he thrust back into her. She turned her head so she could see him. He gripped her hips and fucked her hard and fast, giving her everything he had. In only a matter of moments Mallory was all but screaming, her pussy clamped onto him like a vice. “Cum inside me, Daryl!” Mallory demanded. If they were going to have the benefit of being able to bareback, she wanted to feel him cum deep inside. 

Daryl’s brow was furrowed, and he was grunting and growling like a wild animal. “You fuck me so good, baby. C’mon Daryl. Let me have it.” A string of curse words poured out of him in a stuttering jumble. He fell forward, laying his head on her back and shuddering. 

“That was amazing,'' Mallory said softly. Her lips were against his damp temple. They were laid out on the couch, a soft blanket covering them. He could only manage a quiet, “mmm hmm”. “You need water?” Daryl nodded. She swept his sweaty hair off his forehead and kissed him. “Be right back.” She climbed over top of him and headed to the kitchen for water. 

Daryl’s phone was chirping again. He knew it was Negan giving him shit for calling in. He probably would be stuck with a newbie EMT running granny calls all shift. Served him right for all the shit he put Daryl through on the regular. Mallory heard his phone and fished it out of his jeans as she came back with their water. 

Negan: The fuck man? You bailed on me for the whole shift? 

Negan: You better be real fuckin sick. I’m stuck with a goddamn newbie

Negan: Maybe I need to send Nurse Mallory over to check in on you 

“Negan is threatening to have you come check on me since I called out sick,” Daryl snickered. ”He’s just pissy since he got stuck with a brand new, fresh out of school EMT.” Mallory slid back into his arms, getting herself as close to his bare skin as possible. “Well, I’d take care of you if you were really sick.” Daryl put his arm around her waist and rubbed his fingers up and down her arm. “I’m a terrible patient. I’m grumpy and I’m not great about taking medicine.” “Well, it’s a good thing I’m an excellent nurse. I can get you to do all kinds of things,” she teased. Daryl brushed her thick hair off her neck and ear with his fingers. “You might just be the only one who can get me to do whatever you want.” 

Daryl kissed her ear, squeezing her tightly against him. “I was thinking,” he said, kissing her between each word. “Maybe we could take a shower. Get each other clean so we can get dirty again.” Mallory turned, facing him and pressed her smiling lips to his. They didn’t make it off the couch for a long time. Not until after they’d made love again. When they finally made it upstairs, they showered until the water ran cold and stumbled to her bed where they stayed.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little smut, a little fluff, & some angst ;)

Daryl woke up in Mallory’s bed. It was still dark and she was working her way down to his semi-hard cock. “What’re you doin’?” He asked sleepily. She grinned up at him with a perfect vixen smile. “It’s my turn.” He felt the warm, soft sheet sliding off of his bare skin and her hair tickling his legs as she crawled down his body. A little, cracked moan escaped him when he felt her hot breath on his dick. She pushed his legs apart so she could fit nicely between them. He lifted his head and watched as she gathered her hair and pulled it over one shoulder. He collapsed onto the pillow when she slowly dragged her tongue over his balls and up his shaft. His body twitched when she took his head into her mouth. “Oh fuck…” She took him as far into her mouth as she could and hollowed her cheeks as she pulled all the way to the very tip. 

Daryl didn’t know what world he’d woken up in to be getting some world class head, but he wasn’t about to question any of it. He drew his knees up and shoved his hands into her hair, guiding her head as she worked her mouth all over his cock. “Goddamn…. You’re so fuckin’ good at this.” She moaned around his shaft and the sensation shot straight to his balls. He struggled to raise up on his elbows. This was a show he needed to watch. Watching her head bob up and down and then feeling her hand join in the fun was too much. “Christ… I’m not gonna last with the way you’re doing that.”

Mallory raked her nails up the inside of his thighs making his whole body shudder. She shoved his legs apart and looked up at him. Seeing his face, eyes blissfully closed, his heaving chest, and him tearing at the sheets with his fists making his muscles stand out spurred her on. She relaxed her throat and took him as far as she could, still stroking him with her hand. Daryl thrust his hips and grabbed fistfuls of her hair. “I’m gonna…” Mallory hummed in response. “You gotta stop or I’m…” She sped up Her motions until he stiffened and she felt his release. She swallowed every drop he gave her and crawled up, laying her head on his shoulder.

He reached over to the night table and grabbed his bottle of water, offering it to her. “I don’t know what I did to earn that, so you’re gonna have to let me know so I can keep doing it.” Mallory chuckled as she put the cap back on the water bottle. “C’mere.” He pulled her into his arms and soon they were sleeping again.

When Mallory woke up later, the sunshine streamed through her window. She stretched and felt Daryl’s warm body right up against her. Still sleeping, he pulled her tightly against him. He nestled his forehead between her shoulders and sighed contentedly. She could certainly get used to this very quickly. She rubbed her fingertip over his fingers that rested on her belly. His breath was warm and tickled her back in a good way. She was also coming to the realization that her feelings for Daryl were growing stronger by the minute. 

She was enjoying this peaceful time of just feeling Daryl sleeping against her when Daryl’s phone started to ring. He jerked, startled by the loud intrusion, and blindly reached for his phone. “Yeah,” he answered, his voice thick with sleep. “What’s up Merle?” He sat up and yawned as he listened to his brother talk. Mallory slid over behind him and started scratching and kissing his back. “Yeah, we’ll be there.” He ended the call and turned his head to kiss Mallory. “My dad is having a good day. They said he's really lucid. You still wanna meet him?” She kisses his shoulder and got out of bed. “Of course I do. Let’s get dressed.”

“Daryl! There’s my boy!” Will announced excitedly. “Hey, Dad. How’re you doing?” Will tried to stand, but Daryl stopped him. “You just stay where you are. We don’t want you falling again.” He was about to argue but spotted Mallory hanging back at the door. “Who’s the pretty girl?” Daryl chuckled, shaking his head. “She’s with me, so no flirting with her.” Mallory came over and shook Will’s hand. “Dad, this is Mallory. Mallory, this is my dad, Will.” “It’s good to meet you Mr. Dixon.” “Now, sugar, there’s no need to call me Mr. Dixon. You can call me Will.” Mallory gave him a big smile and agreed to call him by his name. “Where did you meet my Daryl?” “I’m a nurse at Grady ER and Daryl brings patients to me.”

They had a good couple of hours talking with Will. He told stories about when Daryl and Merle were little and some of the trouble they managed to get into. “This one Mother’s Day when the boys were just small, they snuck out to the back yard and cut every single rose off of Josie’s rose bushes. She wanted to be mad. You see, those bushes were her babies as much as Merle and Daryl were. I spent the better part of an hour diggin’ thorns out of their hands. They bawled and carried on something terrible. But their mama had the prettiest rose bouquets on the table. My Josie loved those boys more than life. She…”. Will looked around, clearly beginning to become confused. “Where’s my Josie? Is she doing the shopping for the cookout?” Daryl put his hand on his dad’s shoulder and told him she was. It was easier than trying to explain that she had died and seeing his father grieve all over again.

By the time his lunch was brought to him, Will was slipping badly. “Well aren’t you a pretty lady! You should meet my son. I think he needs a pretty girl to take care of him.” Mallory just smiled and opened his tray. Daryl watched as she tucked a napkin into his collar and began helping Will with his food. “Tell me about this son of yours.” “Well, he’s handsome like me.” Will hadn’t lost his sense of humor and that made Daryl happy. “He’s a good man. I hope he knows I’m proud of him.” Daryl had to turn away for a moment. He wasn’t prepared to hear his dad talk so frankly about him. Sure, it hurt that Will forgot that he was there, but knowing his dad was proud eased the sting. “He’s a paramedic, that boy. I couldn’t do that kind of stuff. Can you imagine what he must see?” 

After Mallory helped him finish his lunch he told her that he was tired. “Here, dad. Let’s get you to bed.” “My boy Daryl is here! Daryl, there’s a pretty girl here that you need to meet. I told her all about you,” he winked. “All good things, I hope.” Will smiled at his son and patted his cheek. “Only the best.”

“Your dad is a sweetheart. Thank you for bringing me to meet him.” Daryl admired the way that Mallory had stepped in when Will’s mind started to waver. “What, ummm, what you did in there… Thank you. It’s hard to see him like that, but you helped make it easier. He really likes you.” Mallory stopped and made Daryl look at her. “He tells me that I’d really like his son. Tells me he’s pretty handsome. I happen to agree.”

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“Well, would ya look who’s coming in with some major dick limp,” Tara teased. “For fuck’s sake, Tara! Have some decency!” Mallory stuffed her bag into her locker and draped her stethoscope around her neck. “Are you really gonna leave me hanging? I need the deets!” Mallory rolled her eyes and tried to pretend she didn’t know what Tara was talking about. “Dude! Don’t even give me that shit. Negan told me that Daryl’s truck was at your place for the last two days and I know that he called out for a shift. Is he packin’ heat?” Despite her best efforts, Mallory broke out in the biggest smile Tara had even seen on her. “I mean, I don’t want to kiss and tell, but fuuuuuuck! He rocked my freakin world!” 

The two women slowly walked from the nurse’s lounge towards their station. Mallory was filling her in when they heard radio traffic over the telecom. They didn’t immediately pay attention to the chatter as they were just coming on shift, but Mallory heard something that stopped her cold. Negan was screaming, “Medic 77, 10-52 10-33!!!” “Mallory, is Daryl working with Negan tonight?” With her heart pounding in her chest, she nodded. “Yeah. Negan just called code three for an ambulance to his location.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Healing & a sweet confession

Daryl was in the back of the rig with their second patient of the night. They were en route to Grady with a diabetic patient who accidentally took too much insulin. Daryl was in the process of pushing D50, basically sugar, into the patient’s IV when all hell broke loose. He heard Negan yell and then the sound of squalling tires. Negan cleared the red light before proceeding through, but a young guy who’d had one too many after work was looking down at his console for his ringing phone. His music was loud and he didn’t hear the ambulance in the intersection until it was too late. By the time he saw it, the guy was approaching sixty miles per hour in a forty mile per hour zone. He tried to slam on the brakes and swerve, but in his intoxicated state, he slammed right into the side of the ambulance, knocking it onto its side. Daryl was thrown backwards against the wall of the patient compartment.

Negan was dazed for a full minute before he realized he didn’t hear Daryl. “Dixon! You ok, man?” Nothing. Negan was hanging awkwardly to the right and disoriented as to where things lay. He heard the radio and was able to dig up the mic based on where the sound was coming from. “Medic 77, 10-52 10-33!!!” “Medic 77, what’s your location?” dispatch replied. Negan struggled to get his bearings for a moment. “Medic 77, come in.” He looked out the windshield and could clearly make out the street sign above the stop light. “Medic 77 to dispatch, we’re at Decatur and Bell. We need EMS and Fire. Civilian hit us, side impact we’re on our side. Civilian condition unknown.” 

“Mallory, I’m gonna go get…” Mallory grabbed Tara’s arm, stopping her. Tara was going to get the charge nurse so Mallory could just be with Daryl, not as his nurse. “No. I need to take care of him when he gets here. If you tell her now I won’t be able to.” Tara looked at her friend with disbelief and with sympathy. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Mal.” “Tara,” Mallory said firmly, facing her friend. “I need you to do this for me. We’ll work on him together if that’ll make you happy, but I need to do this. Once I know that he’s ok you can tell whoever you want whatever you want, just… Please, Tara, let me take care of him.” Tara nodded. “Yeah. Ok. But if I see that you’re struggling I’m calling it.” 

“Dary! Answer me goddammit!” Negan yelled. Four minutes since the truck was slammed onto its side and he hadn’t heard his partner make a single sound. “Don’t do this to me, Daryl! Help is comin’, man.” He could hear sirens approaching and was relieved. “Dixon!!!” Negan cried. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Daryl groaned.

Tara and Mallory prepared for the incoming traumas. Mallory knew just what she needed to do and was trying to mentally prepare herself to do it. Her heart was beating a thousand beats per minute it seemed. She and Tara were waiting on the trucks to arrive and every second felt like an eternity. 

“Daryl, you ok, buddy?” He couldn’t get his eyes to focus so he could see what had happened. His head hurt like a bitch and he felt like he was going to hurl. “Talk to me, Dixon! Tell me what’s going on with you!” Negan wouldn’t stop calling back to his partner. It was all he could do at least until help arrived and got him out. 

When Daryl was wheeled in Tara had to nudge Mallory to remind her to keep it together. His hair was matted with blood, his shirt was covered with it, and he was groaning. He kept trying to take off the c-collar and get up. “Can you do this, Mal?” She nodded. “Yeah. I’m fine.” She tried to listen as the medics gave her report to the physician, but his injuries and his constant moaning completely distracted her. Bloody splotches were beginning to bloom on the bandages on his head. 

“Stop, baby,” Mallory said softly as Daryl went back to trying to take off the cervical collar again. “Mallory?” Daryl asked, confused as to what exactly was happening. “I’m here, sweetie. You need to be still until we know what’s hurt, ok. Can you do that for me?” He tried to nod, but that fucking annoying neck brace wouldn’t allow it. “My head’s killing me.” Mallory flashed a light in each of his eyes to check his pupillary response. “I know. We’re gonna take care of you.” She was carefully unwrapping the saturated dressing so they could get a look at what they were dealing with and to get a fresh dressing back on it. 

Rosita came running into the ER. Tara had a second to think of calling her so she could come be with Negan. “Where is he?” She asked, out of breath. “Trauma two. He’s ok, Ro.” “Thanks for calling me. Is Daryl ok?” Tara told her what she knew so far. He’d been taken to CT, but looked good other than a head injury. “He’s got a nasty laceration on the back of his head, he’s pretty confused, and he pukes pretty much every time he’s moved. Negan was only complaining of pain from the seatbelt and airbag.” 

“Mallory?” Daryl called for her again even though she was right behind his head still. Hours after the accident he was still very confused and easily agitated. Mallory was trying to rinse some of the blood out of his hair now that he was all sewn up. “I’m here. I’m right behind you, sweetie.” He was squirming around again, trying to get comfortable. “Can you take me home? I don’t feel so good.” She came around to his side to get a look at him. He had a hell of a concussion and had some pretty awful nausea and vomiting because of it. Mallory was in charge of his one-to-one care. That meant she was his nurse and she didn’t leave his side. 

“Are you nauseated again?” She asked as she checked his vital signs for the millionth time. He nodded. It had been awhile since his last dose of Zofran so she gave him some in his IV. “I wanna go home,” he told her again. That was a good sign. At least he wasn’t repeatedly asking where he was still. “Dr. Carringer will be back in a little while and we’ll talk to her about it. How about you just try to get some rest for now. I’ll be right here.”

Negan was beat to shit, but he was done being in the ER. Reluctantly, his doctor agreed to discharge him. “Only on the condition that you have someone with you at all times for at least the next forty-eight hours.” Rosita immediately agreed. “I’ll take care of him.” The doctor looked to Negan to see if he agreed. “You heard the lady. She wouldn’t take no for an answer if I tried.” “Alright. I’ll get your discharge orders and cut you loose.”

“I need to go check on Daryl.” Negan was up and getting dressed as soon as the door closed behind the doctor. “Negan, you need to take it easy. We’ll see him once…” Negan cut her off with just a look. “Ok,” she sighed. Let’s take you to see Daryl.” 

Daryl was sleeping when Negan and Rosita came in. Mallory filled them in on his injuries. He had no broken bones, amazingly, a nasty cut that had required ten staples to close, and a pretty serious concussion. “Are they admitting him?” Negan asked. “I’m not sure yet. Dr. Carringer said it would depend on how he was doing when she came back to check on him. He was asking me to take him home a little while ago before I gave him more Zofran and talked him into resting.” “Do you know anything about the patient we had?” Mallory shook her head. “I’ve been his one to one since he got here.” Negan hugged her. “You’re good for him. You got my number?” She told him she did. “Keep me posted on him, alright?” “Of course.” 

Mallory helped Daryl into her apartment. She decided it was easier to have him at her place. She led him inside and helped him to the couch. “How about a hot bath? You still have a lot of dried blood on you.” Daryl felt like he was walking around in a dream and everything took him a minute to process. He was looking around the living room, just trying to get his bearings on anything and finding it nearly impossible. “I called your brother. He’s going to your place to get you some clothes and bring them here.” Mallory was sitting on the coffee table in front of him. “You’ll feel better once you’re cleaned up.” That much he could agree with. 

Mallory helped him out of the paper scrubs he left the hospital wearing. His uniform had been cut off and his bag was at the station so that was his only option. She made him sit on the lid of the toilet while the tub filled. He still looked dazed, but at least he stopped throwing up when he moved. “Thanks for doing this, Mallory.” “Daryl, you don’t need to thank me. I care about you.” He stared into her sparkling green eyes and gave her a little smile. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.” 

Merle showed up a while later with a few bags of clothes and some toiletries. “I couldn’t find my key to your place, so I just bought some stuff for you.” Daryl was laid up in Mallory’s bed and feeling really weird about being naked beneath the covers while talking to his brother. “You sure you’re ok, brother?” Merle had only asked him about a dozen times over the few minutes he’d been there. “I’m fine. Mallory has been taking good care of me,” he said with a weak smile. “You can stay with us if you need to,” Merle offered. “I know, and I appreciate it. I’m not sure how good a crying baby would be for my head though.” That actually made Merle grin. If Daryl wasn’t a hundred percent comfortable where he was, he would have jumped on the offer. “Well, as long as she’s taking good care of you,” Merle winked at Mallory. She was good for Daryl, that much was crystal clear. “I’m gonna get outta here so you can rest. I’ll be checking in on you, so you better do as the pretty nurse says.” Mallory walked Merle to the door. “Listen, my brother can be a stubborn asshole when he’s sick or hurt. If he gives you any shit you just call me and I’ll come put my boot in his ass.” Mallory laughed. “Will do. It’s good to meet you, I just wish it had happened differently.” Merle pulled her in for a tight hug. “Me too, kid. But I’m glad he’s ok and that he has you to take care of him.”

Daryl woke up to more pain than he’d ever known could be possible. It was dark and he wasn’t in his bed. His head was pounding with his heartbeat, and he hurt all over, but his back was especially sore. He tried to shift, but the pain and stiffness was awful and he groaned loudly. Mallory was asleep on a chair beside the bed. She had been afraid of leaving him alone, but didn’t want to sleep next to him because she feared she might hurt him in some way. “Daryl? Are you ok?” “No,” he huffed. She switched on the little table lamp. The dim light was more than enough for her to clearly see the pain on his face. “Let’s get you some meds.” 

After Mallory helped him to the bathroom and gave him a dose of pain medication, Daryl was wide awake. “We can go downstairs if you want,” Mallory suggested. He looked up at her big, green eyes apologetically. “I hate to impose even more, but do you have any food? I’m starving.” “Oh shit! Of course, sweetie. I’m so sorry! I should have asked.” She helped him down the stairs to the couch. “Let’s get you comfortable and I’ll make you something to eat. What do you think you can put on your stomach?” “Don’t go to any trouble. I’ve already put you out enough.” Mallory sat beside him, taking his hand. “Daryl, you’d do the same for me, right?” “Of course. I just… I guess I’ve never had anyone take care of me since my mom and it’s kind of different.” “Is it good different or bad different?” He gave her a shy smile and told her it was good. “I care about you a lot. I’m just glad you’re ok.”

Mallory made him a plate of cheese, crackers, and fruit and some ginger ale. “Let’s see how you do with this first and go from there.” Daryl thanked her and tried to eat slowly, but he was ravenous. “Do you want me to turn on a movie or do you think it’ll hurt your head?” They decided to try a movie and see how it went. Daryl was never so grateful as he was to have Mallory in his life. The last several weeks had been a whirlwind, but he was finding himself happier every day. 

Over the next few days the bruising and the pain peaked. Something had obviously struck him in the face in the crash as he had a terrible black eye. He had waves of nausea and dizziness and couldn’t be alone. Mallory did something she hadn’t done in three years, she called out for the rest of the week and then put in for some of her vacation time. She had quite a bit saved up by now. Of course, Daryl worried about her taking time off. Mallory wasn’t worried about it. Daryl needed someone to help take care of him and she was down for the task. She drove him to his follow up appointment with his doctor to see how he was healing. His doctor felt he was doing well, but wouldn’t allow him to return to work for at least two weeks. With a concussion it wasn’t safe for him to drive or to be in charge of patient care. He understood, but still was unhappy about it. After the appointment, Mallory took him by his apartment so he could get more clothes and anything else he needed. She had to admit that she really liked taking care of him. Not that she wanted him sick or injured, she liked having someone to cook for, as limited as her cooking skills were, and to binge terrible late night television with. She almost hated the idea that he’d be well soon and going back to his own place. Was it too soon to already have such deep feelings for him? She’d asked herself this question a thousand times over the last few days, and she still didn’t know how to answer herself. When she heard Negan screaming for help on Telecom, she had felt fear like she’d never felt before. That had to mean something, didn’t it? 

“Hey,” Daryl laughed, waving his hand in front of her face. Mallory blinked away her thoughts and apologized. “Penny for your thoughts,” he asked softly. “Sorry, I was just thinking about how much I like having you around.” He raised an eyebrow, “You’re seriously not over having a man-child that you have to tend to round the clock stayin’ at your place?” “I haven’t thought of it that way at all. I’ve only thought about how much I care about you and being able to help you when you needed it and helping you to get well has made me happy.” Daryl studied her face, watching her expressions as she talked about how much it meant to her that he allowed her to help him. He knew what he was feeling in his heart and he really hoped that she felt the same. It certainly seemed like she does by the way she spoke of the last several days. “I’m falling in love with you, Mallory.” It was out of his mouth before he realized he was even saying it. “Not just because of the accident, but because of who you are. You have the biggest heart of anyone I know. You make me happy in ways that I never knew I could be. When you’re not around, I miss you like crazy. I know that this is probably fast, and I don’t want to scare you away or pressure you in any way, but…” “Daryl,” she interrupted. “Me too.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl & Mallory make a big decision

They laid together in Mallory’s bed, both quiet, both thinking about how things between them had grown and changed so fast. Daryl was still very sore from the accident, but he needed to have her close. Her head was on his chest and she traced the outline of his pecs with her fingers. He was running his fingers slowly up and down her back. He leaned down so he could smell her hair. It smelled like exotic flowers. He wanted to take her somewhere tropical and lay in the hot sand, holding hands and sipping mixed drinks. He only had just told her that he was falling in love with her, but he could see more than that. 

His hands slid over her ribs, easing her nightshirt up. He needed to feel her skin. She was so soft and warm and right up against him. Mallory kissed his chest tenderly. He rubbed his thumb all around and across her nipple making it hard. “Daryl, sweetie, you’re in no shape to be doing this.” He was on top of her in a second. “You let me worry about it.” His voice was low and gravelly and she felt it deep in her belly. He nipped at her lips with his until he felt her shudder beneath him. He thrust his crotch against hers. Nothing could stop him from having her right now. 

Mallory let her legs fall wide apart allowing him as close as possible. He ran his tongue along the soft lines of her neck all the way down to her collarbones. “Mmmm…. Daryl,” she moaned. She ran her fingers down his back, into the waistband of his underwear and grabbed his ass. “I knew you wanted me,'' he teased. He slid down her body, pushing her nightshirt over her breasts. Mallory pulled it the rest of the way off. He went from one breast to the next, licking and sucking her nipples until she thought she’d go crazy from the feel of his mouth. “Please Daryl. I need you.” She shoved his boxers off his hips as far as she could. “Please, baby.” Daryl kicked his underwear the rest of the way off. “I got you, sweetheart. Don’t you worry.” In one smooth thrust, he was buried inside her. He moaned, laying his forehead onto her chest. 

He moved slow and gentle, taking his time to savor the feel of her. Mallory eased a leg over his hip, letting the other fall to the bed. Daryl dragged his lips up the center of her chest to her neck and devoured her flesh. Mallory cried out, clutching his forearms in her hands. “Oh god, Daryl!” He moaned against her, his breath hot on her skin. He gripped her thigh and pulled it over his other hip. “I love you, Mallory.” He had to let her know his truth. He felt it and he didn’t want to keep it to himself. She looked into his eyes and told him she loved him. 

He raised up onto his knees and hooked her legs over his arms, pulling her into his thrusts. “I wanna watch you cum for me, sweetheart.” Mallory was already getting close, so she wanted to make it good for him. She licked her fingers and started to rub her bundle of nerves. Daryl didn’t think he’d ever seen anything so sexy in his whole life. “Jesus,” he groaned. Her back arched off the mattress and her cries intensified until they climaxed together. Daryl shuddered and moaned loudly before collapsing on top of her.

They laid side-by-side, sweating, and breathing hard. Daryl was moaning in pain. He’d pushed himself a little too hard a little too soon, but he needed her. He needed that closeness. “Baby, are you ok?” Mallory asked. Her voice was raspy and sultry. He rested his palm on his throbbing head and nodded. He didn’t want her feeling bad about how much pain he was in. She rolled onto her side and got a good look at him. “How about I get you a painkiller?” “Yeah. I won’t turn it down.” She slipped out of bed and walked naked to the bathroom to get his medicine. Daryl watched her go and wondered how he got so damn lucky. 

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“How you doin’, man?” Negan asked as he and Rosita walked in. He and Mallory decided to have them over for dinner. Negan had called nearly every day to check on Daryl and even offered to take care of him so Mallory could go to work. Mallory had been needing some time off, just to get away from work, but she thanked him for the sweet offer. “I’m good. I’m moving better every day. How are you doing?” Negan had a few bruises and scrapes visible and he favored his left shoulder, but he was doing well. “Has he given you a hard time, Ro?” She grinned and shook her head. “Surprisingly, he’s been pretty easy to handle. Truth be told, I think he likes being babied.” 

Mallory made spaghetti with meatballs and salad for dinner. “When do you get to go back to work?” Rosita asked Daryl. “I’m seeing Dr. Edwards again next Monday. I’m hoping he cuts me loose. I don’t know what to do with myself not working. When do you go back, Neegs?” He told Daryl he was going back the following week too. “I’m too fuckin’ sore to be lifting people.”

The next week Mallory went to Daryl’s apartment right after work. They ate a quiet dinner and tried to watch a movie, but she clearly wasn’t into it. “What’s on your mind, sweetheart? You’ve been quiet all evening.” Daryl watched as Mallory shook her hair down out of the bun she always wore at work. “I’m just tired,” she answered quietly. He walked over from his bed to the dresser where she was rummaging for a t-shirt to sleep in. She’d spent the night alone at her place the night before and didn’t sleep nearly as well. She missed Daryl all night. But, it had been his first shift back to work and he needed to get his stuff together. “I don’t believe you,” he said, kissing her neck. She really tried to blow it off, but Daryl wasn’t having it. “We got nothing if we can’t talk to each other, right?” She sighed and sagged against him. “You’re right. I missed you last night. More than I thought I would.” 

Daryl led her to the bed and sat her down beside him. “Why didn’t you say anything? You could have come here.” She sat quietly, staring at her hands for a moment. “I know. It’s just that this has happened fast and I don’t want either of us to feel rushed or boxed in. I don’t want you to think I can’t be alone or that you can’t have time to yourself, and I thought maybe we needed that last night, but I missed you. I didn’t sleep like I do when you’re next to me.” Daryl pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I missed you, too. What should we do about it?” She sighed as she nuzzled further into his arms. “I don’t know. I’m just tired and cranky. Can we turn on the TV and cuddle?” He kissed the crown of her head and held her a moment longer. “Of course, honey. Whatever you want.”

A few weeks later Daryl was sleeping at his place. He and Mallory were seeing one another as much as possible, and they often stayed at one another’s apartment. Mallory had picked up an odd shift and worked late, so they planned to get together the next morning and spend the day together. 

Mallory was dead on her feet by the time she got home. She stripped out of her clothes, climbed into the shower just long enough to not feel gross, and crawled into bed. But her night was long from over. As soon as she fell asleep she started dreaming about Daryl’s accident. It started exactly as it had really happened. She heard Negan calling for help over Telecom. The next minute Daryl was being wheeled in, but this time he was mangled. Mallory and all the other nurses and doctors worked on him, doing everything that they could to save him. They would stabilize him only to have him crash again. 

Mallory thrashed around in her bed, yelling out for Daryl and yelling for meds. He was slipping away from her and she couldn’t save him. Mallory sat bolt upright, breathing hard and covered in sweat. She was crying. She made her way to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face and tried to calm herself down, but it was no use. She needed to hear Daryl’s voice so she would know that he was ok.

Daryl felt all over the top of his nightstand for his phone. “H’lo”, Daryl answered, still mostly asleep. “Daryl?” He instantly knew she was crying and it scared him. “Mallory? Baby, what’s wrong? Are you ok?” She had a hard time pulling herself together. It was a mixture of the horrid nightmare still fresh in her mind and the relief of hearing Daryl’s voice and knowing he was safe. 

Daryl was up and getting dressed. He still couldn’t pull out of her what was wrong, but it was clear that she needed him. “I’m on my way, sweetheart. I want you to get a drink of water and sit down on the couch, ok.” Mallory flipped between crying and apologizing. “There’s nothing to be sorry about, honey. I just need to know you’re ok.” 

He talked to her the whole way. When she opened her door, she practically fell into his arms. He took her to the couch and held her close as she told him about her nightmare. “I’m sorry for being so stupid and waking you up. I know it’s only a dream, but…” Daryl shushed her and pulled her into his lap. He held her there for a long time just reassuring her. “There’s nothing to be sorry for, and you’re not stupid.” 

He didn’t let her go for a second for the rest of the night. When he woke up she was sitting next to him in bed. “Mornin’ sweetheart. How are you doing?” He ran his hand across her waist and hugged her. “I’m so sorry about last night, Daryl. I feel like such an idiot,” she admitted, feeling humiliated. He slid up beside her and took her face in his hands. “You shouldn’t. I’m actually pretty flattered that you care enough about me that you had to call me in the middle of the night to make sure I was ok.” He kissed her lips softly. “I love you, Daryl. I think it scares me that I love you this much so fast, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.” “I love you, sweetheart. I don’t want you to be scared. I only want you to be happy.” 

“What do you think about moving in together?” Daryl blurted out. He tried to think of a thousand different ways to ask her, but nothing he thought of sounded right. After they got out of bed, he insisted on making them breakfast. Mallory stopped chewing her omelet and looked at him wide-eyed. “Are you serious?” Daryl’s heart was beating a mile a minute. He couldn’t tell by her reaction how she felt about it. “I mean if you want to. My lease is up in a couple of months, so we don’t have to rush or anything.” Mallory smiled at the bashful way he was looking down at his plate and biting his thumbnail. “If you’re not ready…” Mallory went to him and climbed onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. “You really want to live with me?” He looked up through his lashes and gave her that adorable little crooked smile and said he did. “Then I say let’s do it!”

They’d planned to go out but then they got in the shower together and all their plans went out the window. Mallory started by washing his back, but her hands made their way around his waist and then lower. “Thought we were going out,” Daryl teased. She slipped around to face him. “You telling me that you don’t want me playing with your dick?” Fuck. She was biting her bottom lip. She stroked his length with her lathered hands. His breathing became heavier and he tipped his head back allowing the water to pull his hair off of his face. She kissed his chest and ran her tongue around his nipples. “Yeah. That’s what I thought. We’re not leaving,” she rasped. She stepped back and let the spray rinse the soap off of him. “Sit down.” 

She put her knees on either side of his hips, staring into his eyes. “I need you, baby.” He grabbed her hips and pulled her onto his cock. “I’m all yours.” She kissed him hot and dirty as she began to ride him. He grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her head back so he could kiss her neck. “Harder!” she cried out. “Ya like that? You want it rough?” “Fuck yes I do!” He pulled her up suddenly, making her squeal with surprise. He spun her around and put her hands on the shower wall and shoved her feet apart. “Bend that ass over and don’t take your hands off the wall.” His command came out like a deep growl. He rubbed his cock along her slit driving her crazy with anticipation. “You gonna do as I say?” “Yes, baby.” He thrust into her, hard, as deep as he could get. “Ohfuckyes!” she cried. He wrapped one arm around her middle and grabbed her hair with his free hand. Mallory grinned like a she-devil. She just knew that Daryl had a dark and dirty side and she may have just pulled it out of him. “Good girl,” he growled. “Fuck me, baby. Fuck me like you mean it.” He squeezed her breast in his hand, hard. He set a rough, punishing pace, thrusting hard and fast and grunting through clenched teeth. 

Mallory reached behind her, digging her nails into his thigh. He let go of her hair and smacked her ass. “Hand back on the wall.” She moaned loud enough to echo off the walls. “This. What. You. Want. Girl.?” Every word was followed by a hard thrust. She gasped and cried out, trying to answer, but it felt too good. Another smack followed by a firm yank of her hair. “YES! It’s just what I want!” 

Neither could hardly stand when they were through. Mallory’s whole body shook from the multiple orgasms Daryl gave her. He took her to her bed where he spent time kissing her and touching her all over. After the rough stuff, he needed some gentleness. “Thought you were shy?” Mallory teased. He chuckled as he kissed her shoulder. “I am.” “Sure coulda fooled me.” He turned her to face him and pulled her leg over his hip. “I’ve never felt like this before. I want to do things that make you happy. If I have to step out of my comfort zone a little, then that’s what I’m going to do.” She couldn’t believe how happy she was, but whatever twist of fate had put them together she was grateful for.

They spent the day laying out plans for how to stage the change in their living arrangements. Most of the day was spent in bed, making love between making plans. “I guess I’m in charge of the cooking?” Daryl teased. “If you don’t want cereal and frozen stuff then, yes.” She tilted her head up and kissed him. “I’m gonna learn to make more than spaghetti and meatballs. I want to learn how to do all kinds of things for you.” “I can teach you how to cook, but I like taking care of my girl.” She snuggled against him, smiling. “I like it when you call me your girl.” “It’s a good thing,” he chuckled. “Otherwise, this whole moving in together thing could be weird.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is essentially smut, not even gonna lie ;) There's some sweet stuff, too.
> 
> Sidebar: There's a lot of bad stuff going on in the world & I wanted to let everyone who is reading this to know that I am here. I see you, I hear you, & I support you. Spread love where you can & be a safe space for anyone who needs it. All of the kind comments & kudos on my stories mean more to me than you could ever know. Thank you.

“Negan is having a big party for the Fourth at his family’s lake cabin. Do you think you can get off work?” Daryl asked as he and Mallory got ready for their shifts. “I’ll put in my request as soon as I get to work.” Daryl came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and kissing the back of her neck. “Put in for a few days. He said we could stay there with him and Rosita.” Her bright smile lit up her whole face. “That sounds fun. Guess I need to go bikini shopping. Maybe I’ll even pick up a sexy little number just for you.” He rubbed his hands across her breasts over her scrub top. “Better be just for me. I don’t share.” There wasn’t time for what they both wanted, so they settled for sweet kisses before heading to work.

It had been a few weeks before they finally had a day off together. Mallory smiled to herself as she lay in bed listening to Daryl in the shower. Their days had been filled with working and packing up his apartment. They still had a month before his lease was up, but they wanted to get a jump on things and not save it until the last minute. She decided that they needed to have some fun today. She slipped out of bed and into the bathroom, stealing his clothes and all of the towels. 

She waited on the landing at the top of her stairs with his clothes and towels perched on the railing. “Hey sweetheart, did you get my clothes?” Daryl called from the bathroom. She listened quietly, waiting for the inevitable cussing to come from the bathroom when he couldn’t find a single towel. “Babe! Where are the towels?” 

He walked out of the bedroom, dripping water everywhere. “The hell, Mal?” She grinned the evilest grin and dropped the stuff over the railing. “Whoops.” He took one step towards her and she took a step towards the stairs. “Little girl, you’ve had it,” Daryl warned. He took another step and she took off. 

She raced down the stairs over to where the pile was scattered across the floor. She quickly grabbed everything up and headed to the patio door. “Mallory! Don’t you do it!” She was laughing so hard her sides hurt. Before he could get to her, she opened the door and tossed everything out onto the patio. The railing on the patio wasn’t solid, so there was no way he could go out there and not be seen. “You’re gonna get it now!” He growled. “Come get me!”

She ran to the opposite end of the living room and held her stance at the end of the couch. Daryl held his junk as he ran after her and that caused her to crack up uncontrollably. “What’s so funny?” Mallory was simply laughing too hard to even try to answer. “I can’t have my balls bouncing all over the place.” He sounded almost exasperated and that caused her to laugh even harder. He took that as his opportunity to get her, but she darted away as soon as he got near her. They were on each end of the couch, true cat and mouse style. Daryl was laughing now, too. This was something that they definitely needed. “When I get my hands on you, you’re gonna be so sorry!” He taunted. He took a step towards her. Mallory wasn’t going to fall for it though. She wouldn’t fall for his tricks. He took another tentative step and then broke for it. Mallory had indeed fallen for his tricks. She realized once it was too late. He threw out his arm to catch her, but she dropped to the floor a little harder than she meant to and slid past him on her hip. “Oh shit! Are you ok?” Mallory was on her back, laughing still. When she was able to open her eyes, she saw Daryl standing over her. Well, all she could see was his dick and balls and that set her off on another hysterical peal of laughter. 

“The fuck’s so funny?” He was trying to be convincing with his indignation but failed horribly. He started to laugh too. He stepped over and held out his hand. “C’mere. Let’s look at your hip.” As soon as he had her up he tossed her over his shoulder and smacked her ass. “I gotcha now, girl! You’re in trouble!” He spun her around several times and dropped her onto the couch. “You’re a brat.” Mallory was big-eyed, staring at her naked man. “I don’t deny it.” He bent down, hooking his fingers into the waistband of her panties and yanked them down her legs. He ran his hand over her hip. Her fair skin was already beginning to bruise. Mallory watched as he bent forward and kissed her injury. “Does it hurt?” She shook her head. “Not too much.” He rubbed his hands up and down her smooth legs. “Good. You’re gonna fuck me and make up for throwing my shit outside.” “Am I?” He had a smoldering look that said he was going to get his way just the way he wanted it. “I should make you suck my balls for laughing at them.” Mallory sat up on her elbows, cocking an eyebrow. “Then make me.”

He was on her in a second. He knelt over her head and smirked. “Do it and do it good.” Mallory started running her tongue all around his sac, teasing his balls with wicked flicks of her tongue. She gripped his cock with one hand and started stroking him and gripped his leg for leverage. “Suck ‘em baby.” Daryl had never been so bold and had never even asked for anything like this, but it was something that he now knew he really enjoyed. “Yeah, baby. That’s so good.” Mallory went from one to the other pulling it into her mouth, sucking gently at first, increasing pressure little by little. 

He was hard as granite and Mallory was doing all the right things. She was enjoying herself as much as he was enjoying what she was doing to him. “Jesus Christ! That’s so good, Mal.” She stopped for a beat and spit on her hand then went back to stroking him. “That’s it, baby. Keep going.” Mallory loved how much he was talking and directing. This was a bit of a change for him and it was definitely doing things to her. 

She eased up and licked from his balls to the tip of his weeping tip. Mallory looked through her lashes and told him to fuck her mouth. “Fuck, Mallory. You’re such a dirty girl.” She sat up, taking his length as far as she could. Daryl threaded his hands into her hair and moved her head back and forth. Mallory squeezed his balls as she sucked. Daryl was in a state of ecstasy he’d never experienced and it made him want even more. He pulled back and sat down, pulling her on top of him. “Fuck me, sweetheart.”

She pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it aside. “Say it again, Daryl.” She was loving this assertive side to him. She stared into his hooded eyes and waited for him to tell her again. “Fuck me. Fuck me good and hard, baby.” He gripped himself as Mallory eased herself onto his dick. He had pure evil in his eyes and she was there for it. She meant to ride him like there was no tomorrow. She leaned back, giving him a full view of her body as she started to rub her breasts. “That’s it, girl.” 

She rose to the very tip and slid down until he hit her cervix. “Harder,” he commanded. He said it over and over until he felt her begin to contract. Just one little flutter and her voice had a little shake, and then he did it. He grabbed her hips and pulled his own away from her. “Daryl! I’m so close!” Mallory whined. He had the most devilish grin she’d ever seen. “I know. I told you that you were gonna pay.” 

He rolled her onto the couch beside him. “Fine. I’ll finish myself,” Mallory pouted. He got on the floor in front of her and yanked her down so her pussy was right in his face. She gave him a defiant glare and started to rub her clit. “Nope.” He smacked her ass, hard. “I’m running this.” He shoved her thighs wide apart and held them in place with his hot hands. He ran his tongue across his bottom lip like he had the sweetest dessert in front of him and then dove in. 

She bucked against him as she felt his tongue slide inside. Her eyes rolled back and a long moan came from her. He moved his tongue in and out of her and then all over her lips, slowly torturing her. She tried to move against him, needing more, but he laid his strong arm across her thighs pinning her in place. He flicked the tip of his tongue on her clit and she thought she’d lose her mind. She grabbed a handful of his hair and pulled it as hard as she could. He growled and the vibration nearly pushed her over. “You wanna cum, dontcha?” “God yes!” He growled again as he plunged a fat finger into her wet pussy. He sucked her clit and tormented her with his tongue all while hooking his finger just slightly so he was hitting that sweet spot. Her body arched as much as it could in her pinned position. “Oh, god baby! I’m gonna fuckin’ cum!” 

That’s just where he wanted her. He stopped suddenly and Mallory was livid. “NO!” She tried to move, to get any kind of friction so she could get her release. “You threw all my shit outside and left me naked, Mallory. I told ya you were gonna pay for it.” That bastard was grinning. FUCKING GRINNING! Mallory was done playing around. She was about to erupt like a goddamn volcano and by god he was gonna give it to her. 

She was on him before he could react, but he was laughing about it. She knocked him flat on his back and pinned his hands to the floor. She wiggled against his cock until she was sliding down it. Daryl’s eyes fluttered closed and he groaned out loud. Mallory sat fully upright, not letting go of his hands. It was ok though. He threaded his fingers with hers. “Show me how mad you are, little girl. Fuck me as hard as you are angry.” 

Mallory rode him like it was the last thing she’d ever do. She was so worked up from his evil edging that nothing could stop her from getting the orgasm she was owed. They both sounded like animals, grunting, panting, and moaning. Her hair stuck to her damp face and sweat slickened her skin. She didn’t warn him or even have time to as her climax didn’t approach, it exploded. He watched her body tense and arch as she screamed his name. Her fingers dig into the backs of his hands. Her pussy was clamped on his dick like a vice and he was thinking of anything to keep himself from cumming too. He wasn’t done yet.

She collapsed on top of him, sweaty and shuddering, unable to stop crying out. He rolled on top of her, needing her underneath him. “I’m not done with you.” He threw her legs over his shoulders and thrust into her as hard as he could. Mallory cried out as much with surprise as pleasure. She reached for him, but he came down over the top of her and pinned her hands over her head. “Goddamn that’s good,” he said with his lips against her chest. Daryl gave her everything he had, pounding her into the floor. Mallory never came down from that first climax and with what he was doing now she was beyond the highest high. Daryl grunted through clenched teeth with every thrust. All of his muscles bulged with his effort. He didn’t take his eyes off of her for a second. Her whole body was shaking under him and it was exhilarating to him. “Fuck! Oh fuck, Mallory! I’m… cumming.” The last bit came out shaky and strained. 

Once the world came back into view for them both, Daryl pulled Mallory right up against him. “Was that too much? Did I hurt you?” Mallory smiled against his sweaty skin. “No, babe. That was fucking amazing.” She loved that he was always so considerate of her. “I swear to god though, if you ever torture me like that again, I’m tying you up and doing butt-stuff to you.” Daryl gave her a dirty, side-eyed glare and grumbled. 

Later that afternoon they headed to lunch with Abraham. He had been asking Mallory to meet up for a few weeks, but everyone had conflicting schedules until today. “There’s my baby sister!” He announced from the table. He picked her up in a big bear hug and planted a big kiss on her cheek. “Hey, big brother!” After he put Mallory down he pulled Daryl in for a bro hug. “How’re you doin’, man? No problems from the wreck?” “I’m good. How are you?” They sat down at the table and started catching up. “I think I found a house I’m gonna buy,” Abe told them. “If y’all are up for it after we eat, I can take you out and show you.” 

Abraham told them that the house needed a lot of work, but he was down for the task. “It’s rough, but I can turn into something nice and flip it if I want.” He told them he was planning on starting his own construction company and this house would be a good way for him to show off his talents. Mallory and Daryl couldn’t help but be excited for him and with him. 

They turned onto the little lane where every house was modest but cute. All of the lawns were well kept and every porch had flower beds surrounding them. “Cute neighborhood,” Mallory commented. Abe turned them into the driveway of the older two-story house. “It’s got four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms. It’s twenty-six hundred square feet and some change. It needs a new roof, new HVAC, and Sheetrock to replace the paneling. The good news is that there are hardwood floors under that gross ass carpet.” 

Abraham took them from room to room, the realtor had given him the code to the lock so he could look it over again before he made a decision on making an offer. He was excitedly explaining how he would update and upgrade each space. “I’m thinking you’ve made up your mind,” Mallory teased. “I think you should do it.” Abe’s face broke out in a huge smile. He hoped that his baby sister would back him up on it. “I think you should, too. I can come help out.” Abe clapped Daryl’s back. “Thanks, man! I’ll take you up on it!” 

Abe called the realtor right then and made his offer. There were no other offers on the table and the house had been on the market for a while, so it looked good for him to get it. “You coming to mom and dad’s for dinner Sunday?” Abe asked his sister as they headed back to his truck. She and Daryl had been trying to work out their schedules so she could introduce Daryl to her parents. “I didn’t know they were having dinner,” she responded. “Mom sent me a text earlier. She probably thought she sent it to you too. Dinner is at six. Same as always.” Mallory looked to Daryl to see what he thought. “I can get off a little early,” he told her. Mallory smiled. “Tell mom that we’ll be there.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> LOTS of little things happening!

“Hey Tara, you got any Midol on you?” Mallory asked as she dug through her own bag. “No, but I can get you some.” “I’ll love you forever. These cramps are freakin’ killing me.” Today wasn’t going the way she’d planned at all. Her period showed up two days early and it was shaping up to be a rough one. Her plans for shopping after work were going to go on hold if it didn’t let up.

Tara brought her some Midol that she got from Denise. “You’re an angel. Thank you.” “No problem. Denise has something for everything in her bag. Why don’t you see if you can cut out early? Your shift ends in just a couple of hours and we have enough people here to cover you.” Mallory thought about it and decided she would. 

Mallory went straight home and climbed into a hot bath only after she discovered she was almost out of tampons. She wondered if Daryl would mind getting her some on his way home. Now that she was in, she had no intention of leaving again. 

Mal: Babe I need a huge favor

D: Anything sweetheart. What u need?

Mal: Tampons 

D: I should make Negan go in & get them lol

Mal: Do NOT send him for my tampons! God knows what he’d get

D: No worries love. I’ll get you what you need. 

Mal: You’re the best! Tampax Pearl/Regular/Unscented & Midol too please.

D: Unscented??? They come scented??? Are they like scratch & sniff?

Mal: Christ. You’re spending entirely too much time with Negan.

D: Be home in a bit. You want me to grab dinner?

Mal: Chocolate. Lots of chocolate.

When he came in he had a plastic bag filled with an assortment of chocolates and the specified tampons. He also got her a bouquet of pretty flowers because he thought the occasion called for them. And, he picked up Chinese for dinner. He got dim sum, spring rolls, and sweet and sour chicken for them. 

Mallory was curled up on the couch when he got home. She wasn’t one to nap very often, so Daryl knew she wasn’t feeling well. “Hi beautiful,” Daryl said softly, kissing her awake. “I brought dinner. You hungry?” She nodded as she yawned and stretched herself awake. “I’m supposed to be off tomorrow, but they’re asking me to come in.” Daryl shook his head, bringing their food to the coffee table. “We don’t need the money, and I think you should rest.” Mallory loved how protective Daryl could be. She had already told them no, she just wanted to hear it from him. He spoiled her and it was something that she adored. He opened the Midol and shook two out for her. “You’re so good to me. Thank you, babe.” 

They ate and talked about their day and then settled in for a lazy night on the couch. “You want me to take you shopping tomorrow?” Mallory looked at Daryl somewhat perplexed. “What? I can’t want to take my girl shopping and maybe spoil her a little?” Mallory snuggled in a little closer and smiled. “I’m sorry. I just thought that guys didn’t like shopping with women.” “I’m not every other guy,” he smirked. “Nope. You’re the best kind.” 

Mallory dragged Daryl to every store that ever existed, or so it felt. She needed some new makeup and that turned into two different stores. There were three other stores having shoe sales so they had to go to those. She needed some new scrubs so that was a trip to another shop. She also found a dress that she liked that was on clearance. And then there was the bathing suit shopping. No matter what Daryl told her he liked, she insisted that she looked fat. 

One of the guys that Daryl works with just bought his living room furniture, so Daryl had some extra money. He waited until Mallory was looking at something else and told her he had to go to the bathroom. He went back and bought two bikinis and a one-piece that he thought looked good on her. He thought she would be ready to go at that point, but then she decided he needed some things.

She dragged him to the men’s department of three stores. In her defense, those three stores were on the way to the parking lot, but she managed to take forever in them. Everything except for the makeup was on clearance, so she justified that she was saving money. Daryl thought that they would have saved a bunch more if they hadn’t done all this shopping, but he was a smart guy and kept his thoughts on the matter to himself. She found him some jeans and t-shirts, she found him some nice button-down shirts, a couple of pairs of shorts, and some pajama pants. 

“Oh honey, did I wear you out today?” Daryl dropped face-first onto the bed. “Ugh… How do you do it? Aren’t you tired?” Mallory laughed and tugged on his hips. “But babe,” she pouted, teasingly. “We still need to go to Target and get house stuff.” Daryl let out a long groan into the mattress. “Ok. Just give me five minutes.” She smacked his ass and dropped onto the mattress beside him. She rubbed her fingers across his cheek, grinning like an imp. “I’m only teasing. We’re all done with shopping. I was thinking about heating up that amazing mac and cheese that Denise made for us, maybe heating up those wings we have and watching a movie.” He inched over and kissed her perfect lips. “That sounds like a fantastic idea.”

Daryl came down to the kitchen after a quick shower. He was wearing a pair of loose-fitting sleep pants and no shirt. “Damn, you’re fuckin sexy,” “Pfft. You’ve lost your mind.” “Nope. I happen to be an authority on the matter. She turned to him and fed him a bite of the warmed mac and cheese. “Any time Denise wants to make mac and cheese for us, tell her to do it. I’ll pay her for it.” Mallory chuckled as he talked with his mouth full. “C’mon sexy, let’s go watch our movie.” 

Sunday morning was a busy morning for Negan and Daryl. They were slammed with calls right from the jump. Their shift was a short one so Daryl could make it to dinner with Mallory’s parents by six. It was clear from the first call that they were going to run hard. “So, meetin’ the parents tonight?” Daryl gave an “uh-huh” as he buckled in and switched on the lights and sirens. “Dinner is at six sharp. Her parents have been trying to have us over for dinner for weeks, but our work schedules have been impossible lately.” “Ro’s old man isn’t crazy about me, yet. He says he thinks I’m too old for his girl.” Daryl gave him a quick sideways glance. There was a note of something that he seldom heard in Negan’s voice. Negan sounded as if he was genuinely upset that Rosita’s father disapproved of their relationship. “Why don’t we have a cookout and invite the girls’ families? It might be a good way for them to see how we are with them on our own turf.” Negan thought about it for a second and agreed. “That’s not a half-bad idea, Dixon. We’ll hammer out all the details this week.” “That reminds me, “ Daryl started, “Mallory’s brother is buying a house to flip. You wanna come and do some construction work on the side? He says the pay is good.” “Hell yeah! I can use some extra money.” The truth of the matter was that he was honored that Daryl had asked him. They started off with Negan always busting Daryl’s balls over something. But, now, Negan considered Daryl to be his best friend. 

Their shift ended at four and Daryl was home by four-thirty. He had just enough time to grab a quick shower and change before heading to the Fords’ house. Mallory was almost ready when he came in. “Hey, beautiful. You look amazing,” he told her with a kiss. “Thank you, handsome. I just gotta finish doing my hair and I’ll be ready.” He kissed her once more and then headed for a shower. He was a little nervous about meeting her parents. Daryl was still that awkward guy that he was when he and Mallory first started talking. He was still awkward around her sometimes, that was just who he was. He was really hoping to tuck as much of that down and be self-assured and confident tonight. 

They arrived at her parents’ house just before six. Mr. Ford was a big, hulking man and clearly who Abraham had taken after. Mrs. Ford, on the other hand, was a petite lady with a pretty smile. They welcomed Daryl and Mallory inside and led them to the dining room. “Would you like a drink, son?” Mr. Ford offered. Daryl hesitated for a moment, not sure how to answer, but Mallory nudged him and winked, so he accepted. 

Mr. Ford made them each a Jack and Coke and then kissed his daughter. “You work too much, Cookie.” Mallory rolled her eyes. “I’m not working as much overtime, Daddy. Plus, Daryl and I are taking a few days off to go to a friend’s cabin on the lake for the Fourth.” Mr. Ford looked at Daryl and took a big gulp of his drink. “Am I to understand that you’re helping my daughter with the bills since you’re living in her loft now?” “Jesus! Really, daddy?” Daryl started to nervously rub his palms on his knees and stammered that he and Mallory had split things up fairly. Mr. Ford roared with laughter. “I’m just messin’ with you kids! I know that Cookie won’t put up with a freeloader!” “Mike!” Mrs. Ford admonished him. “Leave the kids alone!” 

Abe showed up a few minutes later and things were a little less awkward for Daryl. Daryl was able to tell him that Negan was on board to work on his flip. “Hell yeah! That’s awesome, man! Thanks!” Abe tipped his chin towards his father, “You want some work, old man?” Mr. Ford slammed back the last of his drink and laughed. “Hell, boy! I’d work circles around you!” “I know, Pop! That’s why I asked. I wanna get this house done and sold as fast as I can.” 

The rest of the evening went really well. Mallory’s parents welcomed Daryl in as if he was already part of the family. It didn’t take him long to relax and just be himself. Mallory slipped off to the kitchen with her mother to help with the dessert and to see what she thought of Daryl. “Does he make you happy, sweetie?” Mallory had the biggest smile on her face when she nodded to her mother. “He seems like a nice young man. As long as he makes you happy and he’s good to you, that’s all that’s important.” 

Daryl and Mallory were on their way home, and Mallory was lost in her happy thoughts. Her dad had never liked any guy that she’d brought home. “I think it went well,” Daryl said after waiting for Mallory to say something. “Huh? Oh, yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about how much my parents like you. My dad has never taken to anyone the way he did you tonight. And my mom loved you to pieces right off. She told me she could tell by my smile that you’re good for me.” Daryl sighed with relief. He felt like it went well, but his awkward side needed that reassurance. “I like them, too. I need to know something, though.” He took her hand in his and kissed her palm. “I gotta know why your dad calls you Cookie.” Mallory rolled her eyes and shook her head. “When I was little, I apparently had a little bit of an attitude, and if things didn’t go my way I would stop talking. Daddy would bribe me with a cookie and make me talk through my problems. I was frustrated a lot, so he would just yell out “cookie” and I would come stomping in.” Daryl snorted and then started laughing. He could see her being frustrated and stubborn and being persuaded by cookies. “Stop!” Mallory laughed. “Now I know your secret weakness. I just have to keep cookies in my pockets. Is there a particular kind that you like better?” She playfully smacked his arm and laughed with him. 

The following week seemed to drag by. Mallory and Daryl were looking forward to their time off. With their scheduled days off combined with their normal days off, they were getting almost a whole week. Thursday couldn’t get there soon enough. 

“So,” Tara grabbed Mallory as she came out of a room. “Have you picked up some naughty undies yet?” Mallory shook her head as she pulled her hair back into a bun. “No. Daryl took me shopping and I want to surprise him.” They walked to the med room and chatted about when they might have a little block of time so they could go shopping. “What about toys?” “Tara,” Mallory sighed. “Girl, I’m telling you, you need to throw some restraints, or maybe a paddle or flogger into the mix.” Mallory’s eyes went big and her head tilted to the right as she stared at her best friend. “Jesus, Tara! Are you and Denise that freaky?” Her smile told Mallory all she needed to know. “Let’s just say we’re exploring and finding out what we like and don’t like. We’re going to the adult store tomorrow. You’re getting some toys.”

Mallory pulled into the parking lot of the adult store and jogged through the rain to the entrance. Tara was already inside. She texted Mallory and told her she was getting a few things together for her that she and Daryl “just had to have.”

“Hey girl!” Tara waved. “Over here!” Tara was carrying a basket that was already half-way filled. “You do know that Daryl and I have a slammin’ sex life, right? I mean, I know I’ve told you how he takes care of me.” Tara laughed, shaking her head. “And I’ve told you that no matter how good it is, you can ALWAYS spice it up. You have to be adventurous and be willing to try new things.” Tara looked at a little sample size pack of lube and tossed it in the basket. “If you don’t keep things interesting, they get boring and before you know it, you’ve stopped having sex. So, you guys do anal?” “Oh my fucking god, Tara!” Mallory wasn’t one to be easily embarrassed, but Tara’s unabashedly bold way of questioning sometimes caught her off guard. “I’m gonna put you down for a no,” she laughed. “I’m gonna get you a few things. My treat.” Mallory went from embarrassed to perplexed in a snap. “You and Denise do that?” Tara grinned impishly. “How else do you think I know what to get?” “What if it’s not my thing?” “Have you ever tried it?” Tara countered. “Well, no… It just seems so, I don’t know, uncomfortable.” 

Tara walked Mallory all around the shop, picking out and suggesting different things for her to get. She also explained the finer points of the beginner’s guide to the things she hadn’t tried. “Tara, my friend, you are a dirty little freak.” 

Tara and Mallory picked out some sexy lingerie that they both thought Daryl would like before heading to work. Mallory stowed her goodies in her bag and caught herself daydreaming about her and Daryl’s vacation on the lake. She couldn’t wait. It had been a long time since she had been off work and actually gotten away. She and Daryl definitely needed the time together, even if they were going to be with Negan and Rosita. She was counting down the days. 

Daryl and Negan had the day off from the ambulance so they were working with Abe. Daryl had long since decided that he wasn’t going to accept any money for helping him. Abe had gone all-in with everything he had to get his construction business going, and he was happy to help him get off the ground. 

He and Negan showed up early and Abe was happy as hell to have them there. With the proper permits in place, they went to work on the demo. They started in the kitchen, ripping out the cabinets. “Hey, Abe,” Negan yelled before he swung the sledgehammer. “These cabinets are in good shape. Maybe a little dated, but still usable. Why don’t you post them on some of the yard sale sites, or something? You might get a little something for them.” Abe smirked. “That’s a damn fine idea! Let’s take some pictures and then we’ll pull them out. Hell, we’ll put the sink and anything else we can think of on there.” 

By the end of the day the guys were exhausted and sore, but Abe was three hundred dollars in the positive and they were all happy with the amount of work they knocked out. They put in twelve hours of hard work, but the entire inside was gutted which put Abe ahead of schedule. “You sure I can’t get you guys full time? We could make some mad fuckin money.” “I don’t know man, maybe. Seems like we do a hell of a job.” They all sat down on the deck and dangled their legs over the edge. Abe handed them each an ice-cold beer and they drank in the sunset.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vacation begins!

Daryl came home to find Mallory on the couch, deeply concentrating on something she was reading on her phone. “Hey sweetheart, I’m home.” Mallory grunted a greeting, not losing her place or her concentration. “How was your day?” Daryl had a mischievous grin because he was playing with her. Mallory was too consumed by what she was reading to hear Daryl. “My day you ask,” Daryl snickered. “Well, I set fire to my rig just to watch it burn.” Mallory shook her head and looked up, finally. “I’m sorry, babe. I was just doing a little research. What were you saying about your day?” He leaned over the top of her, resting his hands on either side of her head on the back of the couch. “My day was awesome. Negan and I had a good save and the rest of the shift was easy. How was your day? You get all your packing done?” Mallory shook her head. “Almost. I only have a little bit more to finish up.” He dipped his head closer, brushing the tip of his nose over the top of hers. Pure fire was coming off of him in waves. “So,” he teased her lips with his, “are you gonna tell me what you were reading?” Mallory gave him a devilish little grin and quirked an eyebrow. “Nope. Let’s just say that we’re gonna have a little fun on our vacation.” 

He came in closer once again, running his bottom lip across hers. “Well, I can’t wait to see what’s in store for me. You wanna have a little fun now?” Mallory giggled as she started unbuttoning his shirt. “Mmmm…. I’ve been thinking about getting you under me all day long,” Daryl whispered against her cheek. Mallory squealed when he yanked her onto her back. “I didn’t tell you to stop taking my clothes off.” He took her phone and put it on the coffee table, never breaking his kiss. 

Mallory pushed his shirt off of his shoulders and then pulled his wife beater over his head. His hands cupped her breasts, thumbs rubbing her nipples through the soft fabric of her bra. “I can’t get enough of you, sweetheart,” Daryl said softly, kissing her ear. He sat back on his knees and slid her shirt over her head and unhooked her bra, tossing both aside. Their eyes met for the briefest of moments before Daryl bent over the top of her and began slowly kissing his way from her navel to her breast. He took his time kissing, sucking, biting and rolling his tongue over each nipple. Mallory ran her hands up his arms, feeling the definition of his bulging muscles, across his shoulders, then into his hair. Daryl groaned as she pulled it. He returned in kind by pulling her nipple with his teeth. 

Mallory unfastened Daryl’s belt and fumbled with the buttons of his pants until they were undone. By now they were both worked up to heavy breathing and tearing at what remained of their clothes. Daryl sat up and pulled Mallory’s shorts and panties down her lean legs, then shoved his pants past his knees. He couldn’t just kick off his boots and he wasn’t about to waste time taking them off. His eyes burned into her as he licked his hand and rubbed his wet fingers between her legs. 

He bit his tongue as he pulled her legs onto his shoulders. He slid into her in a smooth stroke, letting out a loud moan as he sank deep inside. Mallory moaned and she grabbed Daryl’s arms tightly with her hands. “God, I love your face when I slide my dick inside you.” He started moving slowly, taking his time to savor the way she felt so hot and wet around his shaft. Mallory’s head was thrown back giving Daryl full access to her beautiful neck. He rested his weight on one elbow and buried his face in her flesh, kissing, biting, and sucking with wild abandon. His free hand cupped her breast, squeezing it hard for his own leverage. Mallory gripped Daryl’s ass with one hand and pulled his hair with her other. They both were breathing hard against the other’s skin. “Daryl,” Mallory whimpered. Daryl grunted in response and pulled one of her legs from his shoulder to his waist. He slid his hand along her waist all the way up to cup her jaw. He hovered over her lips for a moment so he could look at the way she was biting her bottom lip. It was something that always drove him wild. He ran his tongue over her lower lip, kissing the corner of her mouth. “How about you let me do that?” He thrust into her harder so she’d let go. He grinned down at her as she cried out. “Gimme.” He covered her mouth with his, twisting his tongue with hers for a moment before biting and pulling her lip. 

Mallory thrust against him, trying to get more. “Let me get on my knees, baby,” she pleaded. Daryl, out of breath and in a hurry, pulled her up and turned her around facing the back of the couch and then nearly fell on top of her getting to his feet. Mallory couldn’t help but laugh. Daryl held his shaft firmly in his hand and pulled her hips back and rubbed his throbbing head along her slit. He thrust into her hard, as he pulled her into it. Mallory cried out as Daryl gripped her hip with one hand and wrapped his other arm across her chest. He set a pace to make Mallory scream. “Oh, Daryl! Fuck me good, baby!” He growled and wrapped his arm around her middle and wrapped his other hand in her hair and pulled it hard like she liked. He pumped into her hard and fast, getting faster with her pleading cries. “C’mon, sweetheart. Give it to me.” He dropped his head onto her back and gave her everything he had. “Cum for me, Mallory.” She fell apart within moments, her whole body shuddering, Daryl let go of her hair and wrapped both arms around her, kissing her shoulders and back. “Fuck… Daryl…” Her walls were pulsing all around him, pulling him closer to his end. “You feel so fuckin’ good, sweetheart. Jesus.” He grunted as if the wind had been knocked out of him and went stiff, shaking right up against her. His eyes were squeezed shut and his breath was blowing her hair over her shoulder. 

“Can I expect you to come home from work like this all the time?” Mallory giggled. She was helping him get his boots and pants the rest of the way off so they could lay back and catch their breath. “Hmmm… I don’t know. Sometimes you’re grouchy and it’s safer to retreat.” She smacked him playfully, laughing. “Asshole!” “See what I mean! Right there! You just hit me and called me an asshole!” Mallory started to argue, but Daryl tossed her across him and pulled her close. “You wanna go take a shower before we pack?” “Really? You’re ready to go again already?” He rubbed his growing erection against her butt and whispered filthy things into her ear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Baby, have you seen my swim trunks?” Mallory pointed over her shoulder to the bed. “I laid out a bunch of your stuff when I was packing earlier.” He walked over to where she was sitting on the floor and kissed the top of her head. “Thank you, sweetheart. You excited about our vacation?” She tilted her head back and smiled. “I’ve been excited about this since you told me about it. When do we leave?” “We’re meeting Negan and Rosita at Dale’s in the morning for breakfast.” 

They finished packing and then climbed into bed. “Are you sure I can’t convince you to give me a hint about this fun you’re planning?” Daryl asked. His lips were right against the back of her neck. “You’ll see it tomorrow. I have all kinds of stuff for us to play with.” Daryl was exhausted from his early morning shift and it wasn’t long before they both fell off to sleep.

“Good morning, beautiful people!” Negan said loud enough for the whole restaurant to hear. Rosita rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Negan could be a handful, but Rosita loved him, antics and all. “Good morning, you two.” They sat down across from Daryl and Mallory and Sasha brought coffee and menus right out. “You kids got your sunscreen and swimsuits?” “We sure do. Thank you for having us at your cabin. We’ve been looking forward to this for so long.” “Well, we have five full days of nothing ahead of us. I figure we’ll do a whole lot of grilling, some fireworks, and all the swimming we can stand.” 

They made plans to get changed into their swimsuits after they got settled and then swim for the rest of the day. “We’ve got our coolers packed full of hamburger meat, steaks, and beer,” Rosita said. “We’ve got ours all packed up too. I thought maybe we could stop by the liquor store on the way out of town. I bought a bunch of mixers, but my liquor supply is lacking,” Mallory added. Negan nodded as he chewed his bite of French toast. “I was thinking the same thing. There’s a big liquor store just before we get out of town.” 

The drive out to Negan’s cabin was gorgeous. They headed off the main highway and drove along a winding country road with a scattering of farms and old abandoned barns until finally there was nothing but fields and tall pines. The cabin was miles off of that road. It was much bigger than they expected. It sat on a hill that overlooked the lake. The lake had a beautiful sandy shore with Adirondack chairs and a few wooden picnic tables. There was a boat launch that housed a big pontoon boat off to the side of the barbeque area. “Holy shit! This is his “little cabin”?!” Mallory exclaimed, looking over the top of her sunglasses. “Apparently. I had no idea that it was anything like this. Hell, I figured we’d be sleeping in a shed,” Daryl replied. 

“Welcome to Casa Negan!” Negan said with a great big smile. Everyone began gathering their bags and headed inside. The interior was as beautiful as the outside. The decor was rustic cabin and lake themed. The massive living room was filled with oversized couches and recliners. There was a fireplace in the center of the front wall and the rock facade went from floor to ceiling. There were huge picture windows on both sides of the fireplace and the ripples of the water from the lake reflected all around. Negan walked up beside Mallory and closed her mouth with his fingers. “You guys are in the downstairs suite. It’s plenty private and you have your own little deck. Ro and me are up there,” he pointed to the landing upstairs. “Also, plenty private,” he wiggled his eyebrows and laughed. “Go on,” he nudged with his elbow. “Offload your stuff and get your bikini on so we can get in the water.”

Mallory tied the strings of her bikini around her neck and then made sure that everything that was supposed to be covered was. Daryl stepped behind her with sunscreen in hand. “Let’s get you coated. We don’t need you burnt to a crisp on the first day.” 

They spent the whole day swimming, laughing, and laying on the sandy beach. Being isolated, they played loud music and played an even louder game of Cards Against Humanity. By the time early evening came, the liquor was being poured with abandon. Since no one was driving they were all getting pretty lit. The first day of vacation was going down as a great one.

It was getting late and Negan and Rosita were getting uncomfortably cozy, so they picked up their things and headed in for the night. Daryl was more than a little lit, but he wasn’t falling down drunk. Mallory was buzzing pretty hard and more than excited about getting Daryl alone to show him some of the things they had to play with. Daryl was apparently in the same mood. He had his hands all over her as they descended the stairs to their room. “Have I mentioned how fuckin’ sexy you are in that bikini?” He pulled her t-shirt up so he could check out her ass as they walked down the stairs. “You think this is sexy? Just wait until you see what I have in my bag.” 

After they showered, Mallory sent Daryl to wait for her in bed. “It’ll be totally worth it. I promise.” She kissed him and gave his dick a quick squeeze. He pulled back the covers all the way to the end of the bed and waited. 

Mallory came out of the bathroom a few minutes later wearing a black push-up bra with matching black panties that laced up the back, showing a lot of skin. She had on a pair of thigh high stockings and stilettos. She had a little gift bag in her hand that held some of the surprises she and Tara bought at the adult store. They didn’t get played with, though. The sight of her in the sexy black lingerie was all Daryl needed.


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More vacation adventures!

The next day was spent much the same way. They took the pontoon out to the cliffs. Negan and Daryl jumped a few times and pleaded with the girls until they talked them into jumping. Once was enough for Mallory. She wasn’t a fan of high places, but Daryl jumped with her and was right there waiting when she surfaced. Most of the time, they dove off the boat and swam with loud music playing from the big speakers. 

They picked up a card game when they returned and Negan lost miserably. “Cheating fuckers!” Negan growled as he threw down his shitty hand. “Oh, Neegs! Come back, baby!” Rosita called after him as they all laughed. “I’m just getting more beer. I’ll be right back,” he grumbled as he stalked away. 

They played more games and had the most relaxing day any of them had in way too long. Mallory had been mentally preparing herself all day for a special surprise she had in store for Daryl. She had a little something in her bag of treats that Tara swore was the bee’s knees. She told her that when she wore a princess plug and Denise either used her fingers or a toy inside her, her orgasms were mind-blowing. It’d taken Mallory a great deal of mental prep to get excited about trying it, but Tara promised that it was well worth it. Tara had given her the idea of putting it in and then surprising Daryl when they were in the lake. 

“Get out into the water and start playing around. Get him going, you know? Get his hand in your bathing suit and let him find it. I guarantee you that he’ll be so turned on that you’ll have the best sex you’ve ever had.”

You know what they say about the best-laid plans? It went that way for Mallory. They’d all been laying in the sand, soaking up the sun for a while and they were starting to get hot. Mallory thought that now was her perfect opportunity to go put in her jeweled plug and when she came back, they’d go swimming.

“Be right back, babe,” she said as she kissed Daryl. “Where are you going?” He pushed his sunglasses down his nose and peeped over the top. “Just to the bathroom. Be back in a minute.” 

He smacked her ass as she fixed her bikini bottoms. Her heart raced with excitement. This was something completely new for her and Daryl, and she just knew that he’d go wild about it. She quickly found the set of three plugs that Tara gifted her. She studied each of them and their varying sizes. She thought that the smallest, the one Tara told her to start with, looked tiny and was too small and figured there wouldn’t be enough benefit from it. Besides, the next size up was only slightly bigger.. 

She sat on the side of the tub and looked at a naked pic of Daryl. He was holding his hard dick in his hand and giving her the evilest look. She edited the photo to black and white and it was by far her favorite. She knew that she had to be relaxed in order for this to be pleasurable, so she thought about the night she snapped that dirty pic and the incredible sex they had as she began to stroke her clit. 

Tara told Mallory that it would be easier for her if she got herself almost there and then inserted it. “That’s when you’re most relaxed. Oh, use lots and lots of lube.” 

When she got to that point, Mallory slathered lube all over the toy and herself. She stood with one foot on the edge of the tub and started to push the toy against her virgin hole. She started to lose focus on being relaxed so she started to rub her swollen bundle of nerves again. Then it happened. 

“Nope! Oh Jesus! Fuckfuckfuckfuck!! Damn you, Tara!” It was such an intrusion and the feeling so foreign, all Mallory could think of was getting it out and aborting the mission. Only now she was too tense. Every time she pulled it she clenched hard. 

By now, Daryl was beginning to wonder where Mallory was. She’d been gone for quite some time, and he was starting to think that maybe she’d gotten sun sick. He found his phone and sent her a quick text. 

Daryl: Hey you ok? 

“Shit!” Mallory was trying to focus on getting that damn thing out of her ass and now her phone was going off. The more she tried, the tenser she became. Finally, after Daryl sent a second text she knew she was going to have to admit defeat and ask for help.

Mallory: I’m ok but I need you 

Daryl: Be right there

Mallory was standing by the bed when Daryl came in. She had a distressed expression and was trying to do some deep breathing. “Hey, sweetheart. What’s going on? Are you ok?” 

“No, I’m definitely not ok. I wanted to surprise you with something and it’s not working out.” Daryl looked concerned as he started rubbing his hands up and down her arms. “What is it, baby?” 

“Daryl, you have to promise me that you won’t laugh.” Daryl gave her a questioning look. “Tell me. Whatever it is, I promise we’ll fix it.” 

Mallory closed her eyes and thought of any way to tell him about her precarious situation. “You’re scaring me, Mal. I swear I won’t laugh no matter what it is.” She opened her eyes and looked at him for a beat before spilling it all in one breath.

“Tara bought us some princess plugs to try out. She swore that they were bomb. I put one into surprise you and it feels so fucking awkward I can’t stand it, but now I can’t get it out.” Daryl stood still, just looking at her. He wasn’t a hundred percent sure what a princess plug was, but, by reason of deduction, it led him to believe that she had something stuck in her ass. The wild urge to bust out laughing was almost too much, but he managed to reign it in. The look of distress on her face was both amusing and worrisome. 

“Ok,” he started, slowly turning her around. “Let’s see what we’re working with so I can see what we need to do.” Mallory put both hands on her ass and shook her head. “I don’t want you to look.” 

“Wh… What?” Daryl’s expression was one of confusion and frustration. “Baby, I have to know what I’m working with so I can figure out how to help you.” 

“I don’t want you to look… there.” Mallory’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. 

“Honey, I’ve seen every part of you before.”

Mallory huffed, rolling her eyes. “That’s not helping.”

Daryl softened his tone and spoke gently.

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course I do.”

“Then I need you to trust me to take care of you. Can you do that, sweetheart?”

Mallory stood fast for a moment, realizing that he was right. And, she trusted him completely. She slowly moved her hands away and held them in front of her.

“Good girl.” Daryl untied each of the strings of her bikini and nudged her feet apart. “I’ve got you. I’m not gonna hurt you, ok. I’m just gonna take a look.” She tensed when she felt his hands start to part her cheeks. 

“No! It’s so fuckin’ embarrassing!” she shrieked. 

“Shhh. Let me take care of you, honey. I’m not gonna hurt you. There’s nothing to be embarrassed about with me, ok. I promise that it’s all going to be ok.” 

Slowly, she willed herself to relax and let Daryl do what he needed to do. 

“This is good. I was worried that it was something that went all the way in. I’m gonna try to pull it out.”

Mallory cried out and immediately covered her butt with her hands. “Stop stop stop stop!! I can’t…. It’s too much!”

Daryl hated the fact that he was really turned on by the little heart-shaped jewel despite the fact that Mallory was miserably uncomfortable. The only thing he could think to do is to go with that. She was going to have to relax in order for it to come out.

“Get on the bed on your hands and knees. I know just what you need.” 

“Are you being serious right now, Daryl? You really want to screw around?” 

Her indignation and rosy cheeks from embarrassment are what finally did it. Daryl started snickering. 

“Stop!” Mallory whined. “You promised you wouldn’t laugh.” 

Her feelings were really hurt now and Daryl felt like shit about. “C’mere, baby. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have laughed.” She stood with her arms crossed in front of her and her brow furrowed. She pulled away when he tried to hug her. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry. Can I make it better?” She was seriously pissed and humiliated that things had gone so wrong and refused to look at her man. 

He tipped her chin up with his fingers. “Look at me Mallory,” his voice was low and gravely. Mallory kept her eyes on the floor. “Can I tell you what I’m thinking to get that out of you?” 

“No.”

Daryl grabbed her shorts and t-shirt and held them out to her. “What’s this for?” She asked. 

“If you’re not going to let me take care of it then we have to go to the ER and get it done.”

“Daryl! Why are you being so mean?” Her eyes started to sparkle with tears. 

“Shit. Baby, I’m sorry. Please don’t cry.” He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her temple. “It’s gonna be ok. I’m gonna fix it.”

She asked him what his idea was once she calmed down. He really was being sweet and she acknowledged that she might be overreacting a little.

“We need to get you nice and relaxed. I was thinking that maybe I could make you cum so your body will relax and I can take it out.”

Mallory stood there with her arms crossed, pouting. Daryl kissed her bare shoulder. His hot breath made her shiver and her skin to break out with goosebumps. 

“I’m gonna make it all better, sweetheart,” he whispered against her skin as his lips traveled up her neck. “I love that you wanted to surprise me. It’s really fuckin’ hot.” 

His hands were big and warm, and her resolve was starting to break. He gently sucked the flesh of her neck and then blew hot air on her wet skin. The tiniest whimper escaped her. 

“That’s my girl. You just let me make it all better.” He eased her over to the bed, his lips not leaving her skin for a second. “God, I love you.”

That was what finally did it for her. Mallory turned her head and caught his lips, kissing him. “C’mon, baby. I’m gonna make it so good for you.”

With shaky legs, she climbed onto the bed. 

He slid underneath her on his back. “What are you doing?” 

“I’m gonna help you relax so we can get that out of you. Ease down here and let me take care of you.”

He slid his hands up her thighs to her hips and pulled her just where he needed her to be. He licked her smooth lips all the way from one side to the other. Slipping his fingers between her folds, he gently parted her. Her engorged pearl prominently displayed itself to him. He circled it with the tip of his tongue and flicked it wickedly. Mallory’s body shook even harder as she began to give in to the intense feeling from his lips and tongue. 

Daryl slowly eased a single finger inside her wet pussy. He paid close attention to how she responded, making sure that she was enjoying what he was doing. “God yes, baby,” she moaned. 

He flattened his tongue and licked her with long, broad strokes and worked his finger deeper and faster. “More, baby. Please.” Daryl worked his two middle fingers in and out, pressing them against her G-spot. 

He pulled her closer with his other hand on her hip. “Oh god,” she moaned. He worked her over with his mouth and tongue like it was the last thing he’d ever do. “Oh fuck, Daryl!” Mallory’s cries we’re already getting louder and she started moving against Daryl’s tongue to get more friction. 

“Oh god Daryl, please!” Mallory shuddered and ground herself against him. Daryl moved one hand to her breasts and pulled her bikini top down. His fingers glided across her hard nipples making her moan even more. 

“Please… Oh, fuck baby, please!”

Daryl gently pulled her clit into his mouth and sucked it while rolling his tongue all around it until Mallory was all but screaming and begging him to stop. She tried to pull away, but he grabbed her hips and held her there a little longer. The sound of her screaming his name made his dick throb. 

As soon as he let go of her hips, she was off of him, yanking at his swim trunks. “Now. I need your dick right now.”

Daryl untied the string that held his shorts up and Mallory pulled them off in a single tug. 

“C’mon, girl. Get what you want.”

She settled her knees on each side of his hips, leaning down and kissing him. She tasted herself on his lips and tongue and it turned her on in a way she’d never felt before. 

Daryl’s hands were all over her. He couldn’t get enough of the way she felt and the sounds she was making at each new way he touched her. 

“Now. Please, now. I need you, baby.” 

“I’m all yours, sweetheart.”

She raised up on her knees and reached for his cock, but Daryl stopped her. “Turn around. I wanna watch that beautiful ass.” 

He held his thick shaft with one hand and her hip with the other and watched as she slowly sank all the way down. He hadn’t been sure that it would go well with the toy, but Mallory’s loud moan assured him that she must be feeling something good. 

“Oh my god! Oh, Daryl!” She started to ride him hard and fast. She was still reeling from the incredible orgasm he just gave her and she didn’t want it to end. 

“Easy, Mal. We ain’t gotta hurry. Take it slow. I want this to last.” His thick fingers dig into her flesh, steadying her and working her into a slow, sensual rhythm. “Mmmm… Fuck yeah, girl. That’s it.” 

He rubbed his hands all across her ass, hips, and thighs. Slowly, he eased them across her cheeks, gently pushing them apart so he could see the little heart. 

“Fuck that’s sexy,” Daryl growled. 

He held her ass, guiding her movements and not taking his eyes off of her. Mallory sped up the rhythm a little when Daryl’s moans started getting louder. There was nothing that turned her on more than hearing him moan. 

She moved faster and harder, surprisingly liking the way the plug applied pressure and forcing his cock right up against her G-spot. She bent forward and held his ankles for support.

Daryl had an incredible view of her perfect ass. Mallory was riding him nice and slow, rising all the tip of his dick and easing all the way back down. “That’s right, baby. Right me good.” 

Daryl rubbed his thumbs along the seam of her cleft, inching in every time she came down. He couldn’t stop himself when he got to the emerald green colored heart. He traced its shape with the tip of his thumb, noticing that Mallory seemed to enjoy the sensation. “You like that, sweetheart? You want more?” 

Mallory nodded, reaching back to open herself to him. Daryl growled with excitement.

He went from lightly touching the toy, to pressing his fingers against it, and, finally, to pulling it partially out and watching it go back in when Mallory came back down his shaft. 

“Fuck, sweetheart… I’m close,” Daryl whimpered. He pulled the plug all the way out, dropping it to the side. He grabbed her hips and pulled her into his hard, fast thrusts until white exploded behind his eyes. 

Daryl pulled Mallory right up against him, kissing her hard as he came down from his release. “I love you, sweetheart. I promise that I will always take care of you.”

Mallory nestled into his strong arms, completely sated. “I love you, Daryl. More than all the stars.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“You kids enjoy a little afternoon delight?” Negan laughed. Daryl and Mallory walked back to their canopy, holding hands. Mallory giggled, rolling her eyes. “And the lady confirms!”

“Negan! Leave them alone. It’s not like we haven’t slipped off a time or two,” Rosita admonished. She walked over to where Daryl and Mallory settled in the sand and handed them each a beer. 

“Steaks and baked potatoes for dinner okay with you guys? I think it’s supposed to storm later and I was thinking we could binge some old school horror movies.” 

Mallory smiled with excitement. Horror movies in the dark with a storm raging all around them was just her thing.


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Mention of child abuse & death near the end of the chapter. Nothing detailed, but could be triggering. Also, there is more talk about Daryl's father's mental decline.**

After dinner and a shower, everyone came up to the living room. Negan was going through the DVDs searching for the ‘Friday the 13th’ disk. It felt like exactly the right movie for the night. 

Heat lightning flashed wildly as thick, dark clouds filled the sky. Thunder rumbled in the distance and the wind was beginning to pick up. The wind chimes on the porch tinkled and clanged, warning of the coming storm. 

Rosita was the last to come down. She was in a baggy t-shirt and shorts. Her long, dark hair was piled in a messy bun on top of her head. 

“Well, hello my love,” Negan smiled. He stopped pilfering through the movies and wrapped his arms around her tiny frame. “I missed you.” Negan kissed her several times, smiling the whole time. Mallory watched, smiling to herself. Rosita was good for Negan. They were good together, and clearly Negan was head over heels in love. 

Daryl turned sideways against the arm of the couch and stretched his leg out so Mallory could lay between his legs and rest her head on his belly. He pulled her against him and kissed the top of her head. “I love you, baby. I’m so glad that we’re getting this time off together.” Mallory tilted her head up so he could kiss her lips. “I love you, too, babe. I’m having the best time.” He smiled down at her and rubbed his thumb up and down her cheek. Things had moved so quickly with them, but all of it had felt right. Obviously, things had been the same way for Negan and Rosita.

“Are we ready for the movie, kids?” Negan asked as he switched off the lamp beside him. 

“Play it, baby,” Rosita said as she snuggled in. 

By the middle of the movie, the storm was really starting to pick up. Despite having seen the movie dozens of times, Mallory still jumped. “I’ve got you, sweetheart,” Daryl whispered into her ear. He wrapped his strong arm across her chest and kissed the top of her head. 

Several hours and part of the way through the third movie, Mallory couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore. The storm was ongoing and Daryl was warm and comfortable. She slid down and rested her head on his thigh. Daryl mindlessly played with her hair, and that was all it took. 

“We’re going to call it a night, guys,” Daryl announced. “Mallory is drooling on my leg.” 

“Yeah,” Negan yawned, “I think we’re gonna head to bed, too. You guys sleep well.”

Mallory woke up early and Daryl was already out of bed. She pulled on a pair of shorts and headed up to the kitchen. “Morning, beautiful,” Daryl smiled. 

“Morning, babe.” She tucked herself into his warm embrace. Daryl rubbed his hands up and down her back and kissed her head. “You sleep ok?” Mallory nodded against his chest. “You want some coffee?” Again, she nodded. He pulled back and cupped her face with both of his hands, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

Things quickly got busy after they had their coffee. Today was the Fourth and Negan meant to throw a party to end all parties. His parents had a local barbecue place come out and cater the affair. They also brought out a truck bed full of fireworks. To say that they still spoiled their only baby boy was the understatement of the century. They were the sweetest people that Mallory thought she’d ever met. Negan’s dad had a wicked sense of humor, but Negan’s mother outdid him. They all had aching bellies from laughing by the time they left. They all tried to convince them to stay for the party, but they insisted that this was for young people, besides, they had their own party to get to.

Some of the crew from the ER was able to make it out and a lot of the fire and EMS crews made it out as well. At times there were over a hundred people at Negan’s lake paradise. Everyone was having the best time and no one got too out of hand. 

More of the ER crew came out in time for the fireworks. Daryl and Negan were in a clearing and they set them off over the water. Negan’s dad had gone all out with the artillery. Mallory and Rosita were joined by Tara and Denise while they watched the show. This was the best Fourth of July Mallory could remember since she was a kid. 

The next two days went by lazily for her, Daryl, Rosita, and Negan. They slept late, swam for hours, and grilled out. Their time away from the real world was exactly what they needed. 

Their first few days back at work were long and exhausting. Mallory came home to find Daryl conked out on the couch after their first shift. Too tired to go any further herself, Mallory kicked off her shoes, shucked her scrubs, and slid into his arms. 

The following week Mallory was discharging a patient when she saw Negan, but he was with a different partner. “Hey, doll! You heard from your man?” Mallory shook her head. “No. Why? Where is he?” 

Negan stepped over to the nurse’s station and spoke quietly. Daryl was somewhat private about certain things, his dad was one of those. “He got a call from his dad’s home. Apparently Will is having a pretty bad day. They said he got aggressive with one of his nurses so Daryl took off to help calm him down.” 

“Shit. I haven’t had a chance to even check my phone. I’ll go call him.” 

She started to walk away, but Negan pulled her back. “That ain’t all. We had a bad call this morning. He was pretty fucked up about it.”

Mallory tried texting and calling Daryl throughout the day, but he never responded. She was worried about him but figured he was tied up with his dad.

She was surprised when she saw his truck when she got home. “Babe! Where are you?” She yelled from the door as she unloaded her bags. He wasn’t in the living room, so she headed to check the kitchen. She saw him on the patio, a ton of empty beer bottles were scattered beside him.

“Hey, you. I’ve been trying to call you all day. Are you alright?” Daryl exhaled smoke from his cigarette and shook his head. Mallory squatted in front of him, laying her hands on his thighs. “Talk to me, babe. Tell me what I can do.”

Daryl stared straight ahead, taking a final drag off the cigarette before dropping it into one of the empties. “Nothing to talk about.”

“Daryl, please don’t shut me out. I know that something happened with your dad and you had a bad call before that. Let me help you figure this out.”

“Nothing to figure out, Mallory. The world is a shitty, fucked up place.” He opened another bottle and lit another cigarette. “Ain’t nothing anybody can do. It’s just shit.” 

“Babe. Please, talk to me. Is there anything I can do to help your dad? What about the call you had? Maybe if you talk…”

“I said I don’t want to talk about it. There’s not a thing you can do or say to make any of this any better. You got some magic stashed somewhere to give my dad his old brain? The one he’s got is getting worse every fuckin day.” Daryl’s voice steadily got louder as he went on. “What about the little boy? The one that me and Negan picked up this morning. His daddy beat him to death. Nothing I did could fix that.”

“Oh, Daryl. Honey, I’m…”

“You’re what, Mal? Fuckin sorry? Like sorry ever fixed a goddamn thing.”

Mallory tried hard not to let his words sting, but they did. She backed up against the railing and crossed her arms over her chest. “Daryl, I… Baby, please. Let’s figure this out. This is what we do. We don’t do anything alone. I’m here. I’m right here and I hate seeing you like this.”

“Well, then I suggest you go take a bath or leave, or whatever the fuck else you wanna do. I’m not in the mood for fucking couples therapy bullshit.”

Mallory was crushed. He’d never spoken to her this way. All she wanted to do was make things better. At least try to help him not to hurt so much. She angrily wiped away the single tear that fell and walked away.

She went upstairs and grabbed his pillow from the bed and tossed it over the landing before slamming and locking their bedroom door. If he wanted to be a jerk, he could be a jerk alone. 

Hours later Daryl had time to calm down and realize what a tool he’d been. He saw his pillow lying in the middle of the floor and it really hit him how awful he’d been. 

He knocked on their door and called Mallory’s name, but she was long since asleep. Between crying and an Ambien, she was out cold. Daryl tried to text and then call her phone, but it went straight to voicemail. She had turned off her phone. She’d had enough of his bullshit for the night.

He’d hoped to be up before she left for work, but Mallory snuck out early. She didn’t have it in her to go to work with a fresh fight hanging over her. If he was in a better headspace and could apologize for being a douche, they’d talk when she got home.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **Trigger warning: Descriptions of violence & injuries in this chapter**

“You look like shit, man. You ok?” Negan spied the dark circles under Daryl’s eyes right off. 

Daryl shook his head. “I fucked up and took everything out on Mallory. All she wanted was to help me deal with things and I was a dick.”

“Did you apologize?”

“I tried, but she locked me out of the bedroom and she was gone before I got up.”

Negan looked over at his friend and felt terrible for him. He was clearly hurting and he needed a chance to make things better. “Well, we’re early. Whaddya say we go get her some flowers and run them by?”

They were able to get her flowers, but then they got a call and before they knew it, it was almost lunchtime and they hadn’t been sent to Grady once. 

Daryl and Negan were just getting back into their truck when they both got a text from dispatch. There was a lockdown at Grady. All available units were only to respond that they were en route, but not give their destination. Emergency traffic is monitored by news outlets and they wanted to keep everyone off of the dispatch radio as much as possible. Negan snatched the radio and called them en route before they could be diverted to another call. Daryl started texting Mallory, begging for her to let him know that she was ok.

Mallory had been the patient’s nurse. He hadn’t given any indication that anything was off. The nurse practitioner and doctor who treated him didn’t find anything off about him either. He’d been nothing but polite right up until he wasn’t.

Tara heard him yelling first. “Hey, Mal. That your guy in twelve?” Mallory furrowed her brow. “Something must be really wrong. He’s been a good boy so far.” 

Tara didn’t like it. She had a feeling in the pit of her stomach that something wasn’t right. She followed Mallory to see what was going on. 

“Mr. Gibson? Is everything ok?” Mallory opened the door to find the privacy curtain pulled. Mr. Gibson had gone dead quiet. Mallory looked back at Tara for a split second before pulling the curtain back. 

Tara screamed for Mallory to duck, but it was too late. Mr. Gibson swung the IV pole and hit Mallory’s upper arm. Tara and Mallory turned as quickly as possible and started running out the door. Mallory grabbed the door to pull it closed behind her, but the large man yanked it back open causing Mallory to fall. 

Tara was screaming “CODE GREY! CODE SILVER!” Nurses from all over the ER scattered and the raging man rampaged down the hall towards the nurse’s station. 

Tara ducked on the opposite side and tried to gauge where he was so she could double back to get Mallory and get the fuck out of there. Code grey and code silver, violent patient, weapon involved, blared over the intercom. 

Mr. Gibson swung the IV pole wildly, knocking everything off the desk and hitting anyone he could get to. Security was racing to the ER to try to get control of the situation, but Mallory and Tara were on their own until they could find cover and get the hell out. 

Tara squat walked around the backside of the nurse’s station as the man beat anything in his way to shit. Mallory was also in a tight squat, pressed against the wall, and trying to make her way to the med room. The door required a badge swipe in order to open. She and Tara needed to get into that room and wait this out.

Tara was halfway to Mallory when Mallory’s phone buzzed. Even on vibrate, the humming was loud enough to get the guy’s attention. 

“Goddammit!” Tara cried, springing up and racing to get to her friend. Mallory made it to the med room and was trying to get her badge to work, but she kept swiping it the wrong way in her panic. Mr. Gibson was on her in a flash. He swung the pole and the heavy, wheeled-end crashed against her fingers. Mallory screamed with pain. Tara kept her momentum going and ran into the guy as hard as she could, knocking him off balance. 

“C’mon! We gotta run, Mal!” Tara grabbed Mallory’s arm and pulled her up. They took off and nearly made it to the ambulance entrance.

Negan drove to Grady like hell was on his heels. Daryl repeatedly called Mallory’s phone. Rosita had called Negan and told him what she knew. The ER had a violent patient who had some kind of weapon. And, no, she hadn’t seen Mallory.

The pole connected with the back of Mallory’s head, tearing a gash just above the hair at the nape of her neck. She almost lost her balance and was dazed for a moment, but Tara was yelling for her to keep going. 

Daryl and Negan grabbed their trauma bags and jogged from the parking lot to the ER staging area. Negan grabbed Amy as soon as he spotted her. “Mallory? Where’s Mallory?” Amy shook her head, tears in her eyes. “I-I don’t know. It was her patient.”

Tara and Mallory were trying to outrun the hulking man, but he was rage-fueled and impossibly fast. The blow to Mallory’s head had slowed her down enough that he was able to snag her shirt. Once again, she fell to the floor. “Go, Tara!!! Run!!! Get help!!!” Tara had never been so conflicted in her life. Her heart wanted her to stay, but her head was telling her that they weren’t going to get the best of this guy together. If she could get out the door and get security or police, Mallory had a better chance. “Go, Tara!!!”

Tara rounded the corner to the last few yards to the ambulance entrance and saw just what she needed. She grabbed the fire extinguisher from the wall and ran back to her friend as fast as her legs would carry her. 

When she made it back to Mallory, she saw Mr. Gibson pull her up by the front of her scrub top with one hand and punch her with his other fist. “HEY ASSHOLE!!!” He looked up in time to see Tara hurl the fire extinguisher at his head. The sound of the metal canister bonged as it crashed against his forehead. “Mallory, run!”

Negan had his arm around Daryl’s shoulders. There weren’t words that he could say to make any of this any better for him. Daryl was thinking the worst but was praying for the best. His eyes stayed drawn to the ambulance bay. He couldn’t help but feel like that was where he was supposed to look. 

Time was ticking by so slowly it was painful. Daryl’s heart pounded in his chest and he felt sick to his stomach. He watched and waited and prayed. It was all he could do. Police wouldn’t let him in. He needed Mallory. He needed to set things right. But more than anything, he needed to know that she was safe. 

He felt bile creeping up the back of his throat and he broke out in a sweat. “You ok, man?” Negan called as Daryl started away from the crowd. He almost made it to a flower bed when he heard a flurry of activity and turned to see Tara and Mallory holding each other up and stumbling through the ambulance bay door. 

He wasn’t aware that he had screamed her name or even that he was at a dead run. All he knew was that Mallory was now in his arms and he was never letting her go.

Mallory opted to go to a different ER to be checked out. Negan and Daryl transported her. “I’m so sorry, baby. I was such an asshole. Please, please forgive me. I promise I’ll do better.” He took her good hand and kissed her palm. “I love you.” Tears filled his eyes as he looked at her bruised and bloody face. 

“I love you, Daryl. I’m sorry that we didn’t settle things last night. New rule, we never go to bed angry.” He promised her that he would always talk things out. He wanted to hold her, but she was beginning to feel the agony of all of her injuries. “You want something for pain?” Mallory shook her head. “Maybe later. Right now I just want to look at you.”

Mallory’s parents and Abraham came to the ER and once Mallory showed them that she was ok, she had to convince them to let her go home and rest. Abraham had taken more convincing than even Mr. Ford. “Sis, why don’t you and Daryl stay with me or mom and dad tonight?”

“Because, Abe, I want my own bed. Daryl knows how to take care of me. I’m in good hands.”

Abe smiled and kissed her forehead. “I know you are. But you gotta understand, you’re my baby sister and I’m always gonna worry about you.” 

“I know and I appreciate that. You can bring food over tomorrow if you want,” she teased. 

He kissed her forehead once more. “You got it. Love you, sis.”

“Love you, too. Now get out of here so I can get discharged. I wanna go home.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Easy, sweetheart. I gotcha.” Daryl steadied her as they slowly ascended the staircase to their bedroom. “You want to take a hot bath or do you want a shower?” 

“A bath sounds good right now.”

Daryl peeled her blood-soaked tank top and bra off of her, examining the sickeningly dark bruise on her upper arm. Two of her fingers were broken, she had a black eye and a few stitches in the back of her head. 

“Oh honey,” Daryl choked. His emotions were beginning to get the better of him. “I’m so sorry, Mallory. I was such a dick to you and you didn’t deserve any of it.” He continued taking inventory of all of her injuries and making sure that she was still doing okay. “I would give anything to take everything back that I said to you.”

He couldn’t meet her eyes, so he sat on the floor and unlaced her shoes. 

“Daryl, we’re okay. I know that you were in a bad place yesterday. I pushed when you needed space. I love you and I know that you love me. That’s all that matters right now.”

He helped her to stand and stripped her pants and underwear off, checking the bruise that was darkening on her hip from her fall. He helped her ease into the steaming tub and began the tediously slow process of cleaning the dried blood from her skin. 

Early the next morning Daryl hovered over her, making sure that she was comfortable and had anything she needed. He was in the kitchen making her breakfast when someone pounded on the door. 

Tara nearly plowed him over when he opened the door.

“I need to have a word with you,” she snapped. Anger radiated from her like a pulse. She put her finger in his chest and tore into him like it was her job. Denise gave him a little smile and shrugged before heading over to check on Mallory.

“You unbelievable asshole! I know you had a shitty day, but you don’t get to talk to her like that dude! I mean, what the actual fuck were you thinking?”

Daryl stepped back every time she jabbed her finger into his chest. Red crept up his neck and all the way to the top of his ears. He didn’t say a word for fear she would deck him in his own kitchen.

“You can’t shut her out, Daryl! She was trying to help you find a better way to deal with your shit! You’re gonna make this up to her!”

Daryl waited for a long time before he finally spoke. He felt like he deserved everything that Tara was throwing at him. He had been an asshole. 

“I know,” he said, staring at the floor. “I apologized and she said that we’re good, but I know I’ve got to work on me. I have to learn to communicate with her, and I can’t shut her out. I have never felt lower than I do right now.”

Tara stood staring at him, her anger beginning to abate as she saw his remorse. “Give me your credit card.”

He raised his eyes to hers. “What?”

“I didn’t stutter. Give me your credit card. I’m gonna help you fix this.”

Daryl started to argue, but Tara slapped his shoulder with the back of her hand.

“Dude, I’m gonna hook you up. I know what you need to do.” She stood with her hand out. Daryl grumbled as he reached into his back pocket for his wallet.

Denise checked Mallory’s injuries and checked to see if she was in pain.

“It’s not so bad. My fingers are kind of throbbing, but I can handle it.” 

“What about mentally? You had a very traumatic experience yesterday. How are you holding up?”

Mallory smiled. “I’m ok. I wish I knew what happened that caused the patient to snap like that, but Tara and I did what we had to do and none of the other patients were hurt.” 

Tara came over and hugged Mallory. “Girl, I’m so glad you’re ok. When you told me to run I didn’t think I could do it. You’re the baddest bitch I know.”

Daryl stepped around and stood in front of Mallory. “What is she talking about? What’s this about you telling her to run?” 

Daryl was not happy. He didn’t know any of this. “Talk to me, Mal. Tell me about this.”

She reached her hand out for his and he softened a bit. “He had me by my shirt. I was down and we were right there at the door. We hadn’t been able to fight him off of us, so having Tara run since she was free was our only option. She was back in the blink of an eye. I heard her yell and then she bounced a fuckin fire extinguisher off his head. That’s how we got out.”

Daryl sat quietly for a long time and then stood and pulled Tara into the tightest hug she thought she’d ever had. 

Daryl held Mallory close, breathing in her scent as she slept. They had visitors all day long. Everyone they knew wanted to check on Mallory and make sure she was doing ok. Merle and Carol came over with baby Sophia. It made Daryl happy to see Mallory playing his niece. Mallory laughed when she made Sophia giggle and she was gentle and attentive when the baby started to fuss. He practically had to wrestle the baby from her so he could spend some time with her.

“Daryl?” He jumped a little. He hadn’t noticed her change in breathing. “Thought you were sleeping.”

“I was. It feels so good being in your arms and feeling you close. I didn’t want to sleep through it.” 

“I’ll never let you go, sweetheart. Not in a million years.”

“I love you, Daryl. All I kept thinking while I was trying to get away was that you were going to be so worried and that I had to get to you.”

“Really?”

“Well, I mean, yeah. You were all I could think about.”

“I love you, Mal. You’re my girl. You’re everything to me. When we got to Grady and I couldn’t go in and get you it felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. If anything…” he swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to keep his emotions from overtaking him. “I couldn’t have ever forgiven myself if something happened to you. I treated you like shit…”

Mallory put her fingers on his lips. “Don’t do that, babe. I know you didn’t mean it. You had the worst kind of day. Just please let me help going forward. I want to be there for your bad days as much as I do for your good ones.”

Daryl was quiet for a long time. He intertwined his fingers with hers and held her hand against his chest over his heart. 

“I’ve never felt this way before. You make everything so much better. I want to be the man you need me to be.”

Mallory looked into his eyes. “You are.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tara makes good on her promise of getting everything that Daryl needs for a perfect date night.

Tara and Denise spent their day off shopping for all of the things that Daryl would need to give Mallory a very special evening for being such a dick. Armed with his credit card, they went to a high-end dress boutique that Mallory liked to window shop. Tara spotted a beautiful gold satin dress with burgundy embroidered roses that would look beautiful with Mallory’s complexion and dark red hair. Denise found some gold sparkly caged heels and a necklace and matching earrings that paired beautifully with the dress. They then made their way to a day spa and prepaid for a massage, facial, and a mani-pedi. Their next stop was by a salon to make an appointment for Mallory to have her hair and makeup done. 

“I wonder if Daryl has a nice suit?” Tara pondered to her girlfriend. “Hmmm. Maybe you should call him and see. If not we can get his sizes and get him what he needs.” Tara grinned contentedly as she pulled up Daryl’s number on her phone. 

“Hello?” Daryl answered, sirens from his rig blaring in the background. Negan was racing them towards their next call.

“Hey, asshole. Do you have a nice suit?”

“A few, actually. Why?” The fact that Tara called him an asshole as a greeting wasn’t lost on Daryl. He had been and he had no choice but to simply acknowledge it and move forward. 

“What about ties?” Tara ignored his question for the moment.

“Yes, Tara,” he groaned. “I have several nice ties. I even have shoes.” His level of being exasperated was inching up by the second.

“Ok. I just wanted to check to make sure that we didn’t need to buy you something decent to wear. Oh, you’re going to need to take next Saturday night off. I made sure that Mallory has the night and Sunday off.” She didn’t wait for him to reply. It wasn’t really a request. 

Negan looked over at his partner who was angrily looking at his phone when he realized that Tara wasn’t there. “Problems?” Daryl shook his head. “Tara took my credit card and is planning something for me and Mal for me to make up for being a dick.” Negan cracked up laughing. “You know your credit card bill is going to be outrageous, right?” Daryl flipped his sunglasses from the top of his head back over his eyes and banged his head on the back of his seat. 

Tara sent explicit instructions to Daryl in an email. Mallory’s dress, jewelry, and shoes were at her place. He was to pick them up at her place after Mallory leaves for her appointment at Boutique Day Spa. Mallory is then to head over to Beauti Elite for her hair and makeup appointment. While Mallory is being pampered, Daryl is to get her a beautiful bouquet of pink peonies, as they are Mallory’s favorite flowers and get himself ready. Her dress should be laid out on their bed with the shoes and jewelry at the side of the dress. They had 8 PM reservations at La Grotta Ristorante and he was to treat her to a meal complete with wine and dessert.

“Good morning, sweetheart,” Daryl whispered as he kissed Mallory’s ear. “You need to wake up.” Mallory groaned and covered her face with her hand. “Come on, beautiful. I have a surprise for you.” Mallory turned to her side and pushed her hair out of her face. “Babe, what are you talking about? What kind of surprise?” Daryl chuckled as he cradled her face with one hand and kissed her forehead. “Only the best kind for my girl. You need to get up and get a shower. Don’t do anything to your hair or put on any makeup. Deal?” Mallory looked at him completely perplexed. “I promise it’ll be worth it.” 

It was going to be another hot day in Atlanta, so Mallory dressed in a pair of capris and a tank top with a loose off-shoulder t-shirt. When she came downstairs she found that Daryl had coffee and muffins ready. “What are you up to, babe? What’s up with this surprise business?” she asked as she added creamer to her coffee. “I have some making up to do. I know that I apologized and that you said that we were good, but I owe you more than that. I want you to know how special you are to me. I want you to know that the way I talked to you that day doesn’t reflect who I really am or who I want to be for you. I want to give you a day to make you feel like you are the most important person to me because you are. I love you, Mallory. I want to do things to show you how much I love you.” 

Mallory set her coffee mug on the table and walked over to Daryl, wrapping her arms around his neck. “You do. Every single day is special to me. You make me laugh, you make me feel loved, and you make me feel safe. Whether we go out or stay in and eat cold pizza and watch shitty TV, I feel nothing but love from you. You don’t have to make anything up to me. We talked it all out and we now know how to respect each other’s boundaries and how to listen to and talk to each other. This is new to both of us. We’re going to have some growing pains, but I promise that I’m not ever going to give up on you and me for any reason.” Daryl kissed her, taking in her scent and the taste of her caramel coffee flavor on her lips. “I’m the luckiest bastard in the world. I want everyone to know that you’re mine and that you make me happier than I ever knew any person could be.” 

Daryl walked her to the door and told her where she was supposed to go. “When you’re finished there, call me because you have another stop to make before you come home.” He held her face in his hands and stared into her dazzlingly green eyes, smiling. “I love you, beautiful. Now, get out of here and enjoy your day of pampering.”

Daryl knocked on Tara’s door and waited. He was anxious to see just what they’d gotten for Mallory and see how much they’d charged on his credit card. He didn’t really ever use it. He had it for emergencies and always kept it paid down, but he had a sneaking suspicion that paying it off at the end of the month wasn’t going to happen this time. 

“Bout time you got here,” Tara snapped. Daryl huffed and rolled his eyes. They knew that the other was teasing and that was why they got along so well. Despite the hiccup with him and Mallory, Tara knew that they were solid and that Daryl was a really good guy. She couldn’t imagine anyone better for her best friend. She led him to the living room where Mallory’s dress was hanging in a vinyl garment bag. There was a shoebox below it with some smaller boxes on top. “She’s going to look beautiful, Daryl.” Tara bumped his arm with her shoulder and smiled. 

Tara and Denise showed him what they purchased for Mallory and went over the instructions for how he was to have it all laid out on their bed. “Think you can handle that?” Daryl rolled his eyes again but agreed that he would take care of it. Tara and Denise stood back and studied Daryl until he felt uncomfortable. “What? Why are y’all looking at me like that?” 

“I don’t know, Denise. What do you think? You think he needs a haircut?” Tara reached up and started fussing with his hair. Daryl scrunched up his face and started pulling away, but it was no use. Denise took his arm and led him to a chair and forced him to sit. Both women were now pushing his hair around this way and that way, trying to decide if he needed a cut or how he should style it. “Ya mind?” Daryl grumbled. “Just sit still for a minute,” Tara instructed. She left the room and returned moments later with a brush and a few different bottles and containers of hair products. 

They tried his hair a few different ways until Tara wet it and brushed it all back away from his face. No shaggy bangs covering his eyes and no sunglasses. “Damn dude. This looks good on you.” Denise stepped back and looked him over. “It really does, Daryl. This is how you need to wear your hair tonight. Mallory is going to love it.” Denise had an excited smile on her face. Tara was still examining him like he was a bug under a microscope. “Yeah. With his hair back like this, you can actually see his beady little eyes.” Daryl scowled and flipped her off. “I’m only teasing, dude. But you have to wear your hair like this.”

He had to stop at three different florists to find pink peonies. He settled on a bouquet of pink peonies with pink roses and baby’s breath to fill it out because they only had a few peonies left due to a wedding. He managed to get everything home and up to their bedroom when Mallory called to let him know that she had just gotten her nails done and they were working on her toes. “This was heaven, babe. I just had the most amazing hour-long massage and facial.” “You sound nice and relaxed. I’m glad it was good for you. You deserve it and so much more.” “Babe, you’re the best. Thank you for this. It’s nice to be spoiled.” Daryl told her where her next appointment was and that she was to be there no later than 3:30 pm. “Be careful, sweetheart. I can’t wait to see you.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daryl adjusted his tie for the hundredth time while he waited for Mallory. She called after her hair and makeup was done and was gushing about how pretty she felt. It was nearly six o’clock and he was getting more and more anxious with every passing minute. He missed her. They always spent their days off doing something together and he hated how quiet the loft was without her there. He walked back into their bedroom and made sure that everything was perfectly laid out once more before deciding to head downstairs to wait. 

“Daryl,” Mallory gasped as she kicked the door closed behind her. “You look so good, babe.” Daryl was stunned silent. Mallory’s hair was styled in a low chignon with wavy tendrils framing her face. Her makeup was tastefully done in colors that brought out her natural beauty. “You look stunning, sweetheart.” Daryl took her hands and gently kissed her cheek. “Come with me. I have more surprises for you.”

Mallory stood in the bedroom and stared at the elegant gold dress and heels with her mouth agape. “Babe,” she cracked. She began to tear up and Daryl quickly handed her a tissue. “Don’t cry, honey. You’ll ruin your makeup. I mean, not that you need it. I think you’re perfect without it.” Daryl was stammering now, flustered, and feeling like he was starting to make a mess of things. She turned to him, her eyes wide with love and wonder. “You’re what’s perfect. I can’t believe that you did all of this for me. That dress is… And the shoes…” She ran her fingertips over the soft fabric of the dress. There was a little gift bag beside the bouquet of flowers. Daryl had made a stop before he bought her flowers. He figured his credit card bill was already going to break the bank. What was a little bit more? He’d written down Mallory’s bra and panty sizes and stopped at a lingerie shop and bought her a pretty matching set to wear under her new dress. 

“Go on, sweetheart. Put on your new dress. We have dinner reservations and we need to leave a little early in case traffic is backed up.” Mallory couldn’t stop touching each of her new things. The earrings and necklace sparkled as she held them against her porcelain skin. He kissed the back of her neck, being careful of her hair. “I can’t wait to see you in your dress.” He started to walk out of the bedroom but Mallory called out to him. “I love you. I don’t even know what to say except that this is too much.” He smiled at her from the door and shook his head. “Nothing is too much for you, my love.”

Daryl felt his heart almost stop when Mallory descended the stairs. She was a vision if ever there was one. “My God,” he gasped. “Mallory, you look… I don’t even know if there is a word for how stunning you are.” He took her hand in his and slowly spun her around. “Jesus, sweetheart.” He was at a complete loss for words. Every word he could think of to describe how beautiful she looked fell short of what he wanted to say. The one thing that he did know for sure was that he wanted to spend every day of the rest of his life with her, making her happy and doing all these kinds of special things for her. 

The dress fit her perfectly. It clung to her small waist and dipped just low enough to show a modest amount of cleavage. Everything about the way that she looked was beyond anything Daryl could have ever imagined. They joined hands and Daryl stopped at the door to kiss the back of hers once more. “Daryl, I don’t know what I did to deserve all of this, but thank you.” He wanted to kiss her, to take everything off of her, and make love to her and show her what she was doing to him, but that would have to wait for a bit. They had to make their dinner reservation. “Come on. I can’t wait for all of Atlanta to see what a lucky guy I am.”

They were seated at a table in a quiet corner. Daryl held her hands in his on top of the table. He didn’t want to let go of her for a second. He also couldn’t take his eyes off of her. The way the dangly earrings swung and rubbed against her neck, the plunging neckline of the dress, and the way that her whole face lit up when she smiled left him utterly awestruck. He was thinking thoughts that he hadn’t allowed in because he reasoned that it was far too soon to be thinking that way. They’d only just started living together and everything had moved so fast already, but Daryl knew in his heart that he wanted her for the rest of his days. He couldn’t imagine a moment without her and he didn’t want to. 

“Daryl,” Mallory giggled as she waved her hand in front of his face. He snapped out of his thoughts and chuckled. “Sorry. I was just thinking.” He watched her take a drink of her wine and the way that her lips just barely caressed the rim of the glass. “Care to share?” He shook his head. “Just thinking about how beautiful you are.” Mallory blushed, her cheeks turning the slightest bit pink. “You’re pretty damn handsome yourself.” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Daryl couldn’t get her through the front door fast enough. After dinner, she told him that there was no way she could even consider dessert, so he ordered something to go. He all but dragged her out of the restaurant and to her car after he paid. It was nearly all he could do to keep his hands to himself until he got her home. As soon as the door was closed, he pushed her against it and kissed her hard. “I’ve been dying to do that all night.” Daryl set the plastic containers with their desserts on the bench by the door and wasted no time yanking his tie free from his shirt. 

Mallory giggled when Daryl growled with frustration because a loose thread tangled around one of the buttons on his shirt and he couldn’t force it through the hole. 

“Dammit,” he huffed, yanking his shit and popping that button off. Mallory laughed, but Daryl didn’t stop. He hungrily kissed the front of her neck. 

He dropped his shirt to the floor and toed off his shoes and socks. Daryl’s hands roamed her body over her dress, his lips never leaving her lips or her velvety skin for a second. 

“I got an idea,” he murmured as he turned her around. He unzipped her dress, laying a trail of hot kisses along her spine. He turned her around to face him again and he had the wickedest look in his eyes as he slid the sleeves off of her shoulders. The dress pooled around her feet. Mallory bit her lower lip and raised her eyes to his. 

Daryl took a few steps back and pulled his phone from his back pocket. He snapped a picture before she realized what he was doing.

“Daryl!” Mallory started to protest, but he wasn’t having any of it. She looked better than any supermodel he’d ever seen and he wanted to be able to look back and remember everything about this night. 

“You’re so fuckin beautiful.” There was nothing that compared to how she looked in her ivory bra that showcased her perfect, perky breasts. The dark burgundy embroidered flowers made her naturally light complexion look like the finest porcelain. “Turn around, sweetheart. Let me see that sexy ass.” The matching thong displayed her curves beautifully. He snapped a picture just as she turned her head to the side to look at him. That would forever be one of his favorite pictures. 

“Fuck this.” Daryl let his phone drop on the bench beside the dessert containers and grabbed Mallory by the waist and pushed her back up against the door. He breathed hard as his lips crashed against hers. He nudged her feet apart with his and brought his knee up between her legs and pressed it against the heat he felt there. Mallory moaned into his kiss. She grabbed the bottom of his undershirt and pulled it over his head. She needed his bare skin pressed against hers. 

Daryl traced the outline of her panties with the tips of his fingers, feeling the dampness where his knee had been moments before. “I’m gonna make you scream my name so loud the neighbors hear it.” One hand cupped her breast and he rubbed his thumb over the thin silk covering her nipple. She was dizzy and breathless. She whispered his name as he pushed her panties aside and slid his fingers between her folds. “Mmmm… So wet already.” He kissed all the way across one collar bone then the next, slowly sliding a finger inside of her. “Oh my god. Daryl.” Her voice was soft and raspy and it sounded like heaven to Daryl. He rubbed small circles around her engorged clit. “Babe… Feels so good.” He kissed all the way down the center of her chest, across the flat plan of her belly as he went to his knees. “I can make this so much better.”

He lifted her leg and draped it across his shoulder, burying his face against her. Her scent was intoxicating and she tasted sweeter than the sweetest honey. He took his time bringing her just to the precipice and then laying a line of fiery kisses along the inside of her thighs. Mallory plunged her fingers into his hair and held on. Daryl smiled up at her as he slipped her underwear off. “Hold on sweetheart. I ain’t stopping.” 

He took her over and over until she couldn’t take it and then he carried her to the couch. He held her hips and guided her nice and slow. “Look at me, Mallory.” She had the most blissful expression he’d ever seen. “I love you so much, sweetheart. I’m never letting you go.” She leaned down, kissing him deeply. “Never letting you go either,” she told him breathlessly. “You’re mine forever.” “Forever Daryl. I promise.” She clutched his shoulders and squeezed hard, speeding up her movements. Daryl rested his head on the back of the couch and his eyes fell shut. They called each other’s names with utter desperation. “I’ve got you, Mallory. Just let go, baby.” He moaned so loud that his voice cracked sending Mallory into another mind-blowing orgasm. He felt her tighten and begin to flutter all around him and he couldn’t hold back anymore. He gripped her thighs and pulled her into his hard thrusts until his body stiffened and he yelled out, filling her with his hot release.

“You asleep?” Daryl whispered, sweeping her hair from her neck so he could kiss her. “Nope,” she giggled. Daryl rubbed his hand from the dip of her waist to her hip. “Just so you know, I meant everything I said tonight.” Mallory turned to face him. He looked into her eyes and smiled. “I love you more than I ever knew it was possible. I mean to spend the rest of my life making you happy.” She looked at him a bit perplexed. “I mean, if that’s what you want,” he stammered. “Me too, babe. I can’t imagine the rest of my life with anyone else.”


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please note: I don't speak Spanish, so I apologize if it's wrong. I relied on Google Translate to help me out.

Negan and Daryl were watching the steaks on the grill. Rosita’s father was glowering at Negan. 

“I see what you mean. The man really doesn’t like you,” Daryl chuckled.

“Not even a little. She’s his princess and I get it, but I love her. She’s all I ever think about.” Negan was pie-eyed as he talked about Rosita. “She’s the best thing to ever happen to me. I don’t know what I can do to show him that I want to do everything that I can to make her happy and feel loved.”

Daryl looked at his friend with a mixture of awe, surprise, and amusement. “Fuck, man, why are you making this weird?”

“Shut the fuck up,” Negan scoffed.

“Seriously, we’ll make him change his mind about you. We know how good you are together. He’ll see it.”

Mallory and Rosita were talking with Rosita’s parents. Mrs. Espinosa was a beautiful, smiling lady. She was kind and soft-spoken. Mr. Espinosa, however, looked like he was ready to throw down. 

“Papa, stop looking so angry. We’re here to have a good time with my good friends,” Rosita pleaded.

“Ese gilipallos solo busca una cosa!” (That asshole is only after one thing!)

“Papa! Suficiente! El me ama! Me encata!” (Papa! Enough! He loves me! I love him!”)

“Christ,” Negan huffed. “There they go yelling at each other in Spanish again. He refuses to speak English around me and I only know a little Spanish that I’ve been picking up from Ro.”

Rosita and Mr. Espinosa continued arguing until Mrs. Espinosa admonished them. 

“That’s enough! Both of you! We are here among friends who have graciously invited us for food and fellowship. We are here to get to know one another and enjoy the beautiful day together. Both of you have better manners than this.” She turned to Mallory with a smile and apologized. “I hope they have not ruined the nice barbecue you and your mister have put together for us.”

“Think nothing of it, Mrs. Espinosa. Everything is just fine.”

Negan was in his best behavior all afternoon. Not a single swear word crossed his lips and he was up making sure everyone had everything they needed. Daryl caught Rosita’s father give Negan an almost approving look a few times. By the time everyone was leaving he even shook Negan’s hand. 

Later that evening Mallory and Daryl were cleaning up in the kitchen. Mallory was perched on the counter while Daryl finished loading the dishwasher. “I think it went well. What do you think?” 

“I think I want another piece of that chocolate cake,” Daryl replied, tipping his chin to the cake plate

“I’m serious, babe,” Mallory whined. I worry about Ro and Negan. I don’t want their relationship to fall apart because her father hates Negan. What can we do?”

“Honey, I love how much you care about this, but we can only do so much.” He stepped in between her legs and rubbed his hands up and down her thighs. “We’ll do whatever they need us to do.”

Mallory ran her fingers through his hair and pouted. 

“Don’t you do that. That isn’t gonna get you anywhere with me,” Daryl attempted to be firm.

“Baby! I want to help our friends. You wanna stand there and tell me that you don’t?”

Daryl sighed and shook his head. “Fine. I’ll talk to Negan and see what else we can do. I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”

Mallory squealed and slipped her arms around his neck. “Thank you. You’re a pretty decent guy,” she teased.

“Pretty decent,” Daryl scoffed. “Pretty decent she says.”

Daryl tickled Mallory and she screamed and squirmed and laughed, trying to wiggle away. “Oh no, you don’t, sweetheart. A pretty decent guy will keep this up. Now, a really fuckin awesome guy might let up if his pretty okay girl asks nice enough.”

“Daryl!” She laughed, hard. “You’re really fuckin awesome! You’re the most incredible guy that ever lived! Now stop!”

He looked at her wickedly and started tickling her again. “What’s the magic word?”

Mallory leaned in between tickles and kissed him. “Please, baby.”

He slid his hands over her hips and squeezed her ass. “Mmmm. I like the way that sounded. How about we see if I can make you say it again and again?”

“Thought you wanted more chocolate cake?” Mallory reminded between kisses. 

“Later,” Daryl said as he started laying a trail of kisses down her neck.

Daryl claimed her lips, running his tongue across hers until she opened her mouth to him. She moaned softly when their tongues met. His hands gently cradled her face, his thumbs rested on her cheeks. Mallory twisted her ankles together behind Daryl’s thighs, urging him closer. She threaded her fingers into his hair and gave it a little tug. He growled against her mouth and slid his hands down to her behind, pulling her right up against him. 

His hands roamed her body as she sat perched on the kitchen counter. His warm fingers grazed across the soft skin of her ribs and along her spine. He unhooked her bra and tugged her tank top over her head. Daryl ran his tongue along the front of her neck, all the way down the center of her chest. He squeezed one breast in his hand, claiming the other with his mouth. Mallory’s head fell back and her breathing increased. Soft moans escaped her lips as Daryl went from one nipple to the next, sucking them to hard, rosy peaks. 

“Please, baby,” she moaned softly. She dragged her nails across his strong shoulders and into his hair. Daryl smiled against her flesh. “That’s what I wanted to hear, sweetheart. Let’s see if I can get some more of that.”

He hooked his fingers into the waistband of her shorts and panties and slid them down, pausing to allow Mallory to lift up so he could get them off of her. “That’s my girl. I’m gonna take such good care of you tonight. I’m taking my time making you feel good, sweetheart.” He dropped her shorts to the floor. His fingers glided over her soft folds, slowly parting her to get to her most sensitive place. He resumed his attention to her breasts, teasing each nipple with his lips and then blowing warm air on them. 

He circled her clit with the pad of his thumb, easing a finger inside of her. Mallory gasped and she dropped her hands onto the granite countertop behind her to hold herself upright. “Jesus, Daryl,” she whimpered. “That feel good, darlin’? You like that?” Mallory nodded, moaning as Daryl rubbed her just the right way. “Yes, baby. Feels so good.” He kissed his way back up her chest and all over her neck, biting and sucking here and there. “Well, what about this?” He added a second finger and began working them in and out of her with a bit more intensity. “Oh fuck, baby!’ She bucked against his hand for more friction. “Easy, sweetheart. I’m running this show. I’m gonna get you there. Promise.” He thrust his tongue into her mouth just as she moaned. He curled his fingers against that special spot inside and applied more pressure to her clit.

Daryl worked her into a frenzy of pleading and heavy breathing. He was hard as stone and his dick was straining against his jeans, but he wouldn’t let Mallory touch him yet. Right now it was all about her. He loved it when he could take his time and get her off long before he even had his dick inside of her. He loved being able to watch her body respond to his touch and being able to see her face in a complete state of ecstasy.

“Please, baby,” Mallory begged. She was getting closer and closer, but Daryl was taking it slow, making the intensity much stronger. “Daryl, baby, please.” His own breathing had increased and he breathed hard against her neck. “C’mon, sweetheart. Let me have it.” He worked his fingers in and out of her faster and rubbed her clit faster with his thumb. Mallory began to shake and cry out loudly in their kitchen. “Oh fuck, Daryl!” Daryl watched as Mallory fell apart. Daryl didn’t let up in his efforts as she rode her wave. “That’s it, sweetheart. You just let go. I want it all.” 

As soon as Mallory was able, she wrapped her legs tightly around Daryl’s waist, kissing him hard and asking him to take her right there on the kitchen floor. He carried her to the living room, barely making it to the couch as he popped the button of his jeans, walking out of them on the way. They made love for a long time as lightning streaked across the sky, lighting their movements. Thunder echoed along with their passionate cries. Raindrops started falling gently at first and gaining in intensity as Daryl and Mallory grew closer and closer to the sweet oblivion of release. Mallory cried out and her back arched hard as she came undone, and Daryl followed right behind her. His fingers dug into her flesh and his body stiffened. He growled loud enough to echo off the brick walls. “Christ almighty! You’re fuckin’ incredible, sweetheart.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Step on it Negan! She’s crowning!” Daryl was in the back of the rig with a laboring mother. This was her second baby and she had anticipated a long labor as she had with her first, but this baby clearly had other plans. She told them that she had been having contractions for only an hour and she had called her OB who told her to come in. She was waiting for her husband and mother to arrive, but then her water broke and things began to move very quickly. By the time her husband arrived she said she was feeling a great deal of pressure like she needed to push. Her husband made the smart decision to call 911 and Negan and Daryl were dispatched to the address. By the time they arrived, mom was actively trying her best not to push and dad was all but pulling his hair out. Grandma arrived just as the ambulance did and they had planned for her to babysit, but dad was in no shape to drive. She ended up loading up the toddler and dad and they followed right behind the ambulance. 

“We’re five minutes out, brother! I’m hauling it as fast as I can!” Negan called from the front. Daryl started gathering the OB kit and getting things ready for delivery. By the sounds that mom was making they weren’t going to make it the five minutes to Grady. 

Daryl had been right. Just as Negan was backing the rig into the ambulance bay, baby girl Henderson made her debut into the world. Daryl delivered, suctioned, and wrapped the baby before handing her to mom. 

“Hey, you!” Mallory called as Daryl passed the room she was coming out of. “I heard you had a big day. Congratulations!” Daryl chuckled, shaking his head. “Yeah, it was pretty exciting. If she could’ve held out a few more minutes she could have had her baby in the hospital and not in the back of my rig.” Mallory pulled him into one of the empty triage areas and pulled the curtain. “Well, I think she was lucky to have had you there. I know that you took good care of her and her baby.” Mallory stood on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around Daryl’s neck, kissing him. “I’ve missed you today. I can’t wait until we’re off tonight.” “Oh yeah? You got plans for me?” She shook her head. “Nope. Just you and me, a hot bath and some wine.” Daryl opened his mouth to say something, but his radio alerted him to another emergency call. “I gotta run. I love you, Mal.” He kissed her quickly and Mallory told him she loved him. “Be careful!”

Daryl was late getting home. His shift ran late and he and Negan had run their asses off all day long. Their last call had been a multiple vehicle wreck on I-285. There were multiple occupants trapped in their SUV, so they had been stuck waiting for rescue to extricate them. He was tired and sore and more than ready to see his girl. 

The kitchen light was on when he got home, but he knew that Mallory was already upstairs in the tub waiting for him. He stripped out of his disgusting boots and uniform and threw his clothes into the washer before heading up. Daryl was a bit of a germaphobe and couldn’t stand the thought of carrying in the germs he encountered throughout the day and spreading them around the loft. He took the stairs two at a time to their bedroom and heard water pouring from the faucet into the tub. 

“Hi beautiful,” he greeted her with a kiss. “Hey, handsome. Busy day?” Daryl grunted a reply as he eased into the steaming water behind Mallory. “How was your day?” Mallory told him that it was busy as well. “I’m so glad to finally be home.” Mallory sat up and poured Daryl a glass of wine. “You should come up here in front of me so I can rub your back.” “Nah, I’d rather have you here in my arms.” 

They sat back and relaxed in the hot bath, sipping their wine. Just as they were beginning to finally feel the stress of a busy day starting to let go, Daryl’s phone rang.

“Dammit,” Daryl grumbled as he dried his hands so he could answer. “Hello,’ he nearly snapped. Mallory watched as his demeanor changed and his tone softened. Then, when he climbed out of the tub and started to dry off while still on the phone, she knew that something was wrong. She climbed out right after him and followed him into the bedroom. 

“Thank you for calling. I’ll be there soon.” Daryl ended the call and tossed his phone onto the bed. “Babe, what’s going on?” Daryl stepped into their closet searching for a pair of jeans. “Dad’s having a bad night. He’s threatening the nurses and yelling all kinds of nonsense.” Mallory grabbed some leggings and a t-shirt and started to get dressed as well. “Sweetheart, you don’t have to go with me. You’ve had a long day.” Mallory placed her hand on his cheek and smiled reassuringly. “I’m going with you. We’re a team. We’re going to go get him settled. You don’t have to do this alone.” Daryl smiled back, kissing her lips. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some happiness to balance out the hard things life threw at Daryl & Mallory & Negan & Rosita

Will Dixon could be heard all over the hall where his room was located. There was staff gathered in front of his door, all waiting to see what they needed to do while they waited for Daryl to arrive. 

As soon as Daryl and Mallory heard Will yelling they took off at a jog to his room. “Dad! Hey, dad. It’s me, Daryl. Mallory and me are here now. You wanna talk to me and tell me why you’re so upset?” The staff slowly began to dissipate as they saw Will begin to calm. “Who are all of these strangers, Daryl? Why are they all in my house?” Daryl helped his father back to his chair and Mallory waved off the staff. “Dad, it’s ok. They are just here trying to help you.” Will’s brow furrowed. “I don’t need any damn help! I can tend to my own house and my own garden!” Daryl knelt in front of his father and took his shaky, wrinkled hand in his own. “I know, dad. It’s getting late now. Are you getting tired?” Will shook his head, still looking pissed. “Have you eaten dinner yet? Are you hungry?” Will looked into his son’s eyes and told him that Josie wasn’t back from her hair appointment yet so dinner was late. Hearing his father bring up his mother as if she was still alive broke Daryl’s heart every time. Daryl let out a quiet sigh as he pulled himself together. “How about Mallory and I get you some food. We’ll sit with you until you get tired.” Will looked up and spotted Mallory by the door. “Who’s the pretty girl? I know her from somewhere.”

“Hi Mr. Dixon. I’m Mallory. We’ve met before. I’d be happy to get you some dinner. Would that be ok with you?” Will softened a bit and gave her a nod. Mallory told Daryl she’d be right back and headed to the nurse’s station to have his dinner sent. When she returned, Will was crying, his head pressed against Daryl’s belly as he hugged his son tightly. Daryl was obviously struggling to keep himself together. Mallory walked over and gently took over for Daryl so he could have a moment to compose himself. 

“Hey, Mr. Dixon. I’ve got your dinner ordered. It’ll be here shortly. What else can I do to help you?” He told her that he was worried about his Josie. He hadn’t heard from her in some time and he was beginning to think the worst. “I’m sure that she’ll be fine. For now, let’s focus on getting you fed and settled. Do you think we can do that?” Will squeezed her hand and smiled. “You’d be so good for my Daryl. He’s a good boy.” He said that to her every time she and Daryl came to visit.

Daryl stood in the bathroom door in his father’s room and watched as Mallory was able to redirect his focus and even get him to laugh. For the rest of their visit, Mallory led the conversations, helping to keep the topic of conversation light. She helped Will to eat his dinner and then get cleaned up for bed. She and Daryl got him into bed and sat with him until he was sleeping. 

Daryl stopped at the nurse’s station on the way out and asked that Mallory be put on the emergency contact list. Mallory was stunned silent until they got outside. “You have a way with him, Mal. He responds to you in a way that we don’t often get to see. You’re good for us. Thank you for coming with me tonight. I couldn’t have handled it without you here.” Mallory pulled him into a tight embrace and held Daryl while he shed a few of his own tears. 

“Are you up for a walk?” he asked. “Of course, babe. Whatever you need to do I’m here for it.” He took her hand in his and kissed her palm. “I love you, sweetheart. I don’t know how you do it, but you always make the bad stuff easier to handle.” “I love you, too, Daryl. We’re in this for the good and the bad. We handle it all together.”

They walked along the lit walking path by the river. They held hands and didn’t talk much. Daryl needed to process his father’s rapid mental decline. He was glad that Mallory insisted on going. Having his father clutching him and crying into his chest was almost more than he could bear. He’d actually had a moment when he thought he was going to pull away and run and never return. This was not the man who had taught him how to change his own oil and do regular maintenance on his truck. He was no longer the man who had been there to make sure that he and Merle had grown up to respect their elders and ladies and to always use their best manners. He was no longer the man that he recognized as their father. Mallory had helped to pull out what little of that man still remained and that gave Daryl a little bit of peace. They walked until the wind started picking up and lightning flashed in the distance. “Probably should head home before the storm hits,” he said almost to himself. “Babe, if you need more time out, we can go somewhere or if you’re hungry we can get some food.” He shook his head. “Nah, I just wanna go home.” 

They kicked off their shoes at the door and went to the couch. Daryl plopped down, letting out a long sigh and rubbed his hands down his face. Mallory sat down beside him, running her fingers through his hair. “You wanna watch some TV to get your mind off of things?” Daryl nodded. “I think that might be a good idea.” Mallory turned on the zombie show that they had saved on their DVR. She propped her feet up on the ottoman and Daryl laid his head in her lap. He needed her warmth and her comfort and Mallory was more than happy to oblige. He stared at the television while the show played, not really seeing or hearing any of it. Mallory ran her fingers through his hair, gently scratching his scalp, and it wasn’t long before he was sleeping.

When Daryl woke up he smelled bacon and coffee. He was still on the couch and he had a blanket over him. “Good morning, handsome,” Mallory smiled as she handed him a cup of coffee. “I think I might have successfully made scrambled eggs and bacon. You hungry?” Daryl smiled back and nodded. “Thank you for taking care of me last night.” Mallory reached out her hand to him. “No thanks necessary, babe. C’mon before your breakfast gets cold.”

They spent the day in, taking care of some of the chores they needed to catch up on. Mallory was glad that they had the day off after the night they had. Daryl was quiet for most of the day, but she didn’t push him. She knew that he needed to process in his own way. She worked on laundry and dusting the shelves and furniture while Daryl obsessed over the floors. He spent hours on his hands and knees scrubbing the grout in the kitchen tile. Once all of the floors were finished, he decided that the baseboards needed a good going over. Of course, Mallory worried about him all day. It hurt her to see him hurting so badly and not being able to do anything to make it better. While he was down tackling the baseboards in the living room, she slipped off to the bedroom and called Will’s facility for an update. The nurse was happy to report that he was in much better spirits today and that the doctor had been in to see him and make an adjustment on his meds. 

“Hey, babe!” Mallory called as she jogged down the stairs. Daryl stopped and popped out his earbuds. Mallory leaned down and gave him a kiss. “Hey, so I just called and checked in on your dad. The nurse said that he’s in much better spirits today and the doctor came in and saw him this morning and they adjusted his meds.” Daryl walked over to the couch and pulled her into his lap. “Thank you for calling and for letting me know. It means the world to me that you are helping me with all of this.” 

The next few days were busy for them both and Daryl was mostly back to his old self. Clearly, work was good for him in a lot of ways. Plus, he kept thinking about how Mallory told him she couldn’t see her life without him in it. Daryl was lost in his cloud of thought about how perfect that night had been and then how Mallory had been so good with his dad. Of course, she’d been everything he needed afterward. She knew just how to make things better no matter how bad they were. 

“Yo, Dixon! You with me brother?” Negan laughed. He’d been talking to him for several minutes but Daryl hadn’t heard a word of it. “I’ve been trying to ask you if you and Mallory would like to come over for dinner tonight. Me and Ro have something we want to talk to you guys about.” “Yeah, I’m sure she’d like that. I’ll send her a text and let you know for sure.” Negan gave Daryl a sly, side-eyed smile. “You wanna tell me why you’ve been a million miles away in your head all day?” Daryl thought about it for a second and then just blurted it out. “I think I want to ask Mal to marry me.” “Well, shit man! That’s awesome fuckin news! I’m happy for you. And to think that Ro was nervous about telling you guys that we’re gonna have a baby.”

Daryl choked on the drink he was in the middle of trying to swallow. Negan laughed as he reached over and clapped Daryl on the back. “You good?” Daryl wiped his watering eyes and nodded. “How long have you known?” Daryl asked, his voice strained from choking. “For a few weeks. Rosita swore me to secrecy until she was past the first trimester.” Daryl was completely gobstruck. He had no idea that Negan would even want a baby, much less be as happy about it as he appeared to be. “What about her dad?” Negan shrugged. “It is what it is. All I can do is keep working to provide for Ro and the baby and show him that I love them and will take care of them for the rest of my life.” “Good for you, brother. Congratulations!” 

“What about you wanting to ask Mallory to marry you? What got that particular wheel spinning?” Daryl told him all about the night they dressed up and went out. “She looked so beautiful, I mean, not that she isn’t beautiful all the time, but this was different. I don’t even care that my credit card bill is going to be fuckin insane. We had the best time and I just felt like I never want to be without her. I told her as much and she told me that she couldn’t see her spending the rest of her life with anyone else. Then, my dad had another episode and she insisted on going. She can get through to him better than anyone else. You should see her taking care of him. Then, when that’s all over, she’s busy taking care of me and making sure that I’m not losing my mind. I can’t explain it. I know it all has happened fast, and I don’t even know if she’s ready to take that step, but I’m thinking about it more than I’m not.” Negan chuckled. “You don’t gotta explain it. Anyone can see how happy you both are. You do what you think you’re both ready for. We only get one go ‘round, so be happy.” 

Negan and Daryl swore to keep the other’s secret. Negan was happy to watch to see how things fell into place for his friends, and Daryl was excited to see Mallory’s reaction at dinner. They showed up at Negan and Rosita’s apartment a few minutes late because traffic in Atlanta is always backed up. Negan greeted them and led them into the small dining room where Rosita was just putting rolls on the table. 

“Thank you for inviting us over for dinner,” Mallory said after making sure that there wasn’t anything she could help with. “We’re glad you could make it.” Rosita and Negan were both smiling nonstop and it didn’t go unnoticed. “You guys look so happy,” Mallory commented. She squeezed Daryl’s hand hoping that he noticed it too. “Does this mean that your dad is coming around to Negan?” Rosita and Negan beamed at one another, Negan even started laughing. “Alright, I see that you’re going to be terrible at keeping secrets,” Rosita laughed. “Go ahead and tell them.” “You sure, baby?” Rosita nodded with a wink.

“Alright,” Negan started. He had the happiest and most content look on his face Mallory had ever seen on him. “I’m gonna be a daddy!” Mallory’s mouth dropped open and she couldn’t wrap her head around what they’d just been told. “Congratulations!” Daryl said as he went around the table hugging his partner and kissing Ro’s cheek. He stopped beside Mallory and whispered that if she didn’t close her mouth soon she was going to drool all over the front of her shirt. “Shit,” she muttered. “Congratulations you two! I am so surprised. I mean, I’m thrilled, but I wasn’t expecting this.” Rosita and Negan laughed. “We were a bit surprised, too, but we’re so happy.” They were clearly madly in love with one another. “I’m so happy for you! We’re gonna be the best auntie and uncle to this baby. I can’t wait to meet him or her.”


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flu season in the medical field is never easy.

Summer wound down and the temperatures fell as autumn arrived. Daryl and Mallory were taking advantage of a beautiful day off and headed out on his motorcycle for a long ride in the mountains. They both had been working weird shifts and there were whole days that they didn’t get to see one another. They hated it. Daryl would come in from working a late shift as Mallory was heading to work. They both were trying to work things out so they had a more stable work schedule, but flu season had arrived early. Add that to kids being back in school and germs intermingling, things were busy. 

Daryl and Negan were also helping Abraham to get the house finished and get it on the market. Abe was trying to get it done as quickly as possible so he wouldn’t have to make another mortgage payment, so any time that Daryl and Negan weren’t on the truck they were busy framing and hanging sheetrock. It was nearly finished and there had already been some interest in it. The extra money that Negan made from helping Abe went to saving for a downpayment on a house for him and Rosita. He was seriously considering making an offer on this house. It was bigger than what they currently needed, but Negan was already thinking about more babies. 

“You hungry?” Daryl asked when they pulled off at a little spot by the river. “A little,” Mallory replied as she took off her helmet. “I know a place just a little way up the road from here.” “You know everything, don’t you?” Mallory teased. “I know that I love you.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and walked behind her down to the water’s edge. “I love you, too, babe.” She turned and kissed him, pulling him close. “This place is beautiful. I’ve missed this.” They sat down on a large rock jutting out over the river. The recent rains had the water flowing swiftly. Mallory leaned against Daryl’s chest and he draped his arms around her shoulders. “I’ve missed you, sweetheart. I can’t wait until our schedules straighten out.” Mallory looked up into his eyes. They were beautiful and loving and a little sad. “I know, babe. Me, too. My schedule should be better this week as long as no one calls in sick.” He kissed her forehead and smiled down at her. “I don’t want to think about work today. We’re just gonna enjoy our time together.” 

They walked around the river and Daryl snapped some pictures of Mallory crossing it, carefully stepping from one rock to the next. Daryl caught her in a spot where the sunshine was coming through the dense foliage in streams behind her. She was leaning against a tree, smiling and biting her bottom lip. Mallory got a few of Daryl when he wasn’t being silly, but most of them were of him making faces. She even snuck up behind him when he went to pee behind a tree. “Real cute, Mal. You know you’re gonna delete that one.” They ended up chasing one another around until Daryl tackled her onto the soft grass. “You dork,” Mallory laughed. “You gonna delete that picture?” Mallory flipped him onto his back and pinned him down. “I already posted it on Facebook.” Daryl got his hands free and started tickling her. “Brat.” Mallory laughed so hard she snorted and they both cracked up at that. Daryl fell over beside her and pulled her close. “I’ll get you back for that,” he was still laughing. “I didn’t post it, but now I know what to do if you piss me off.” “Yeah, you’re definitely a brat.” Daryl cut his eyes at her, but she just smiled and kissed him. 

They laid in the grassy clearing for a little while longer until Mallory’s stomach growled loudly. “C’mon, woman. I better get you fed before you start making really scary noises.” Mallory laughed and playfully slapped his shoulder. “Help me with my helmet, please.” He snapped the strap and made sure it was snug. “Ready?” Mallory nodded and they headed off for food. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The flu was hitting the ER staff hard. Most all shifts were short by at least a third of the normal amount. Compounding that with a full waiting room full of people who were sick with the flu, strep throat, and every variation of respiratory infection you could imagine, the ER staff started falling fast. 

Tara was just back on her first shift after battling the flu. She and Denise spent the better part of a week in bed. Tara was still only barely on her feet, but she was there and doing her best. Glenn was wearing a mask and was sweaty. He looked pale and he was coughing hard. He was only about two hours into the shift when the nursing supervisor sent him home. He was too contagious and too sick to be around anyone. 

Tara came out of a room and spotted Mallory guzzling down some cold water in an attempt to get her cough under control. “How long have you had symptoms?” Tara asked, placing the back of her hand against her forehead. “I don’t know. Haven’t felt great all day, but we’re short.” Mallory started to stand but Tara placed a firm hand on her shoulder. “Sit. I’ll be right back.” She came back a few seconds later with a thermometer and held out the probe for Mallory to place under her tongue. “You look like shit, by the way. Daryl let you come to work with you feeling like this?” “He doesn’t know,” Mallory mumbled over the probe. Tara showed her the reading when the thermometer beeped. “You’re going home. You can’t be here with a 101.3° temp.” Tara left no room for argument. She called for the nursing supervisor who promptly agreed. “We can’t have our staff making sick people even sicker. Go home and get some rest. We’ll see you back when you’re well.” 

Mallory shivered and her head pounded. Every step to her car was misery. The cold air burned her lungs and made her cough even harder than she had been. She was dizzy on the drive home. She considered calling Daryl, but EMS was equally short-staffed and it wouldn’t be right to pull him away to baby her. When she finally pulled into her parking space at home she had to sit there and psych herself up to go inside. 

Daryl: Hey sweetheart u ok? Tara said u were sent home

“Dammit Tara,” Mallory groaned as she read the text.

Mallory: I’m home & about to crash on the couch. Can’t make it up the stairs.

Daryl: I’m coming home. I’ve got it too.

Mallory: Oh babe no! 

Daryl: Yup. What meds do we need? Stopping by the pharmacy on my way. 

Mallory: Get everything. Get all the meds.

Daryl was home less than an hour later and he looked worse than Mallory. He was pale and sweaty and shivering, and he had dark circles under his eyes. He made it to the laundry room and thankfully he found some sweats. Mallory was curled into a ball and wrapped in a thick blanket on the couch. He dropped the bags of medicine and tissues on the floor by the couch and curled up under the blanket with Mallory. 

3 AM: Mallory was nudging Daryl. His clogged up nose was causing him to snore. “Babe,” she whined. “You’re snoring too loud.” He groaned and waved her hand away. She shook him a little harder, the cold medicine clearly had knocked him out. “Wh-what is it?” He sat up, rubbing his eyes. “You’re snoring, babe.” “I’m sorry. I can’t help it,” Daryl groaned. His poor voice was hoarse and he sounded nasally. “My damn head is so stopped up.” Even in the dark, she could see that his nose was already red and raw from having blown it so much. “I’m sorry. I know you can’t help it.” 

Mallory went to the bathroom and came back a few minutes later with some lotion for Daryl’s nose. “Here, babe, let me fix your nose.” Daryl pulled his head back and scrunched his face. “What are you doing?” “I’m trying to put some lotion on your nose so it won’t hurt so much so sit still.” Daryl flinched when the cold cream touched his sore skin. “I know, honey. I’m sorry.” Mallory had to stop so she could cough. It sounded harsh and painful. “You need some medicine, sweetheart.” She tried to wave him off, but Daryl was already pouring some NyQuil into the little cup. They each took a shot and settled back on the couch with the TV on until they were out again.

By the next afternoon, they were snipping at one another about everything. They felt even worse than they had the night before and everything was getting on their nerves. Currently, Mallory wouldn’t even look at Daryl because he snapped when she woke him up with her coughing. “Babe, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have barked at you for something you can’t help.” Mallory sat on the end of the couch with her knees pulled to her chest looking away from him. He squatted in front of her despite how badly it hurt his joints to do so. “I made ya some tea with honey.” Finally, she looked at him with red, puffy eyes and a very raw nose. “Oh, sweetie. Your little nose. You want me to put some lotion on it for you?” Mallory nodded, still pouting. She accepted the tea and allowed Daryl to doctor her nose. “Are you hungry?” Mallory shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t even know. Everything hurts so much I can’t tell.” “Well, I’m up and moving pretty good for the moment. Think you can eat some oatmeal?” Mallory nodded and grabbed Daryl’s hand before he could head off. “I’m sorry for being such a pain.” “Me too, baby.”

“Sweetheart, you ok?” Daryl asked from the other side of the bathroom door. Mallory woke him when she bolted off the couch and raced to the bathroom. She hadn’t eaten much of anything all day, but something clearly hadn’t sat well with her stomach. He heard her groaning and chanced a peek. She was on her knees in front of the toilet wiping tears from her face. “I think I got the puking virus too,” she whimpered. “Let’s get you upstairs. I think we’ll rest better in our bed. Maybe I can help you take a bath if you want.” “Babe, you’re barely on… Mmmm…” Her stomach violently rejected its remaining contents and she was thoroughly embarrassed. “Daryl, I don’t want to hurl in front of you.” He sat down behind her in the tiny bathroom and rubbed his hand up and down her back. “Well, that’s tough cause I ain’t going anywhere.”

They managed to get up to their room and it felt better than they could have imagined lying in their bed. “What do you have on hand for vomiting?” Daryl asked. Mallory couldn’t think. She was sure that she probably had something, but she wasn’t sure. “You want me to call Negan and have him bring a bag of fluids and some Phenergan?” While it wasn’t exactly approved, all of EMS takes care of their family when they need to. “I don’t know. I feel like shit, babe.” Daryl wasn’t in any better shape, but at least he wasn’t throwing up yet. He held her hand and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. It was the best he could do for affection at the moment. She was surprised at how tired she still was. They had hardly been awake all day. “I’m exhausted.” “I know, honey. You rest and I’ll take care of everything.”

Negan showed up a little while later. Mallory was out and hadn’t even moved since she laid down. “Man, you look shitty,” he commented as soon as Daryl opened the door. “I feel worse than I look.” “Mallory doing any better?” Daryl told him that she was still sleeping as he led them up the stairs. “Damn. She might look worse than you do.” Daryl just looked at his partner. 

“Sweetheart,” Daryl rasped. “Negan is here with meds. You ok with us starting an IV?” Mallory just nodded. She was too sick to argue about anything. If Daryl felt like this was what she needed, she would trust him. Negan started getting everything ready while Daryl tied the tourniquet and started searching for a good vein. “You want me to stick her?” Negan asked. “Nah. I can do it.” Daryl found a good vein and did everything purely from muscle memory. “Big stick, baby.” Mallory flinched, “Ouch! What are you doing?” “I’m starting an IV, honey. You need fluids and medicine.” 

He hardly had time to secure the IV to her arm when she was throwing back the covers and trying to get out of bed. “You gonna puke?” Negan asked. Mallory nodded and stumbled over the little bit of blanket that had fallen onto the floor. “Whoa there, darlin’. We gotcha.” Negan grabbed her under both of her arms until Daryl could get on one side. “Mmmm… I’m not gonna make it.” Daryl grabbed the trash can by the bed and they sat her down. Negan held the little garbage can and Daryl held her hair. 

“Any chance she’s pregnant?” Daryl and Mallory both shook their heads. She was barely holding herself on the edge of the bed and groaned about her achy, sick stomach. “Just had my period,” she managed to utter. “Just checking, darlin’. You think you’re…” Done pukin’ was what he was going to ask when Mallory started hurling again. “Guess not.” Daryl tried to comfort her in any way that he could, but he was dizzy and his heart was pounding in his head. They were in shitty shape and there was nothing to do but to try to get each other through it. 

“Alright,” Negan grunted as he helped Mallory get back into bed. He waited outside the bathroom while Daryl helped her to clean up and put on clean clothes. “You want Zofran or Phenergan? I brought both.” Mallory just nodded. She couldn’t care less what he gave her as long as it helped. She shivered and curled into a fetal position as Daryl pulled the blankets over her. “We’ll get ya all fixed up.” Negan was sweet and caring. Even as ill as she was, or maybe because of it, she could see how good he was at his job. Negan rigged the bag of saline on the headboard and injected a dose of Zofran into the port. “I’m leaving what I brought in case you need it or if she needs more. There’s another couple of doses of Zofran and Phenergan. There’s another bag of saline and some Toradol in case either of you needs it. You need me to stick you?” Negan looked Daryl over with concern. He looked like death. “Nah. I just need to sleep. I’m ok.” “Can I do anything else for you guys while I’m here? I can go out and grab y’all some Gatorade or something if you need me to.” Daryl thanked Negan over and over for all that he’d done. “Hell, you’d do it for me and Ro. Don’t sweat it, man. You and Mal just get better. Call me if you need anything, and I mean anything. I’ll be here as fast as I can.”

Mallory woke up later that evening and Daryl wasn’t in bed. At some point, he disconnected the line from the saline but left the IV intact in case she needed more meds. She sat up slowly and looked around the room, but he wasn’t there. About the time she spotted the light coming out from under the bathroom door, she heard him getting sick. At the rate they were going to kill each other with a disease, she just knew it. 

“Babe,” she rasped. She doubted that he could even hear her as hoarse as she was. She tapped on the door and cracked it. Daryl was on his knees with his head on his arms. “You poor baby.” He tried to wave her away, but just like he’d been there for her, she would be there for him. She wet a washcloth and sat beside him, wiping his sweaty brow. She sat with him for a long time and then pulled him into her arms when he was done. They might be sick as hell, but they were doing it and getting through it together. They made a good team and they were attuned to each other’s needs. While it was gross and they were totally disgusting, they saw beyond all of that and only saw the love and concern they had for one another.


	23. Chapter 23

“You’re gonna have to carry me in and put me to bed,” Mallory groaned from the passenger seat. They had gone to Merle and Carol’s house for Thanksgiving lunch and the Mallory’s parents’ house for dinner. In between the two houses, they stopped to visit with Will for a little while. He was quiet for most of their visit. The nurse told them that he’d been sleeping a lot more lately, but the doctor put it down to the increase in his medication. His weight was good and he was interacting when he was awake. He hadn’t asked about Josie today, and Daryl had been glad of it. Holidays weren’t easy since his mom died. He missed her cooking and he missed helping her cook. He could remember Merle giving him no end of shit for it, but now Merle regretted it. He tried to tell Daryl he was sorry about it, but Daryl didn’t want to talk about any of that today. He was happy that he was with Mallory and that was what was getting him through the day. 

“Babe? You ok?” She reached over and squeezed his hand. He turned and gave her a crooked smile. “Yeah. Today was a good day. Thank you for making it that way for me.” “Do you want to go to the cemetery tomorrow and put some flowers on her grave?” Daryl shook his head. He couldn’t bring himself to go to visit her grave since the funeral. “I’m still not ready.” Mallory squeezed his hand again. “When you’re ready I’ll be here.” 

They shuffled into the loft, both stuffed from all the food they’d eaten. The fact that they both had been off for the whole day was unimaginable. Neither had requested the day off, not that it would have happened if they had, but somehow the stars all aligned and it came to be. “I wanted to talk to you about something.” Daryl looked at Mallory with a hint of concern. “Don’t worry,” she laughed. “It’s nothing bad. I’ve just been thinking about making a move at work.” Daryl dropped onto the couch beside her. “What are you thinking about doing? You don’t want to work in the ER anymore?” Mallory considered it for a second. “I love the ER. It’s where I feel like I belong. I think I’m good at it, but the hours are so shitty. Trauma ICU has an opening and it would be three twelve-hour shifts. I have all of the credentials that they require and I like the idea of a more stable schedule, but I want to know what you think.” He intertwined his fingers with hers and sighed. “Well, I like the set schedule, but do you think you’d be happy working on the floor? I mean, you’re kind of a trauma junkie. I see it in your eyes when we bring in a patient who’s all fucked up. They’re already stable by the time they make it there. Yeah, they’re still fucked up, but they’re less fucked up than they are in the ER. I want you to do what makes you happy. If that means that we work shitty schedules, we’ll make the best of it.” Mallory snuggled against his shoulder. “I love you. I couldn’t be any luckier than I am. You only ever think about what would make me happy, not what’s easy.” He laid his head on hers and sighed. “All I want is for you, for us, to be happy. I don’t want you to sacrifice something you love. You’d be miserable and, before long, we’d be fighting because you hate your job.”

Mallory lay awake for a long time after Daryl was asleep, thinking about what he said. She loved the idea of steady hours and set days off, but he was right about being in a job that made her miserable. She hated the idea of fighting with him. Maybe she could talk to the nursing supervisor again and see if her schedule could be tweaked a bit. She wasn’t opposed to working long hours, she just wanted to have some semblance of normalcy. Worrying about it all night wasn’t going to do her a bit of good, though. She laid her head on Daryl’s chest and fell asleep rubbing her fingers in a little patch of his chest hair.

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“Hey, Mal!” Tara yelled as Mallory came out of a room. “We’ve got a trauma alert. You in?” “You know it!” Mallory replied as she grabbed a trauma gown and face shield. She met up with Tara and they headed to the ambulance bay to wait.

The fire truck rolled in first, which meant that one of their medics was on board the ambulance to help with the patient. Daryl and Negan’s rig came in hot. Mallory and Tara waited out in the cold rain for the patient to come out of the truck so they knew exactly what they were dealing with. 

As soon as Negan’s feet hit the pavement he was rushing to get the doors open so they could get the patient out and into the trauma bay. Daryl and the medic from the fire department came out of the back. The patient was a seventeen-year-old female who had been too distracted by an incoming text to notice the semi-truck stopped ahead of her. She slammed into the back of the truck at nearly sixty miles per hour. As soon as they had her off the truck, Daryl was relaying his report. “Seventeen-year-old female, Prius versus semi, major damage to the whole car. Patient has a compound, mid-shaft femur fracture on the right and probable femur fracture on the left, her left foot is rotated externally, unstable pelvis and complaints of belly pain, abdomen is tender and rigid. Patient’s BP 90/58, tachy on the monitor, respirations twenty-six, pupils are equal and reactive bilaterally.” Daryl rattled everything off that he and the other paramedic had done en route from the scene. “Patient was trapped for almost an hour before we were able to transport.” That last part was more frightening than her injuries alone. Every minute that ticked by after a major trauma decreased the patient’s chances of survival. It couldn’t be helped, of course, so they would have to do what they could now that they had her.

“Hi sweetie,” Mallory said loudly to the girl. “My name is Mallory. I’m a nurse. You’re at Grady Memorial and we’re going to take good care of you. Can you open your eyes and tell me your name?” 

Everything happened in a mad rush. Calls were made to ortho and for stat trauma scans. Mallory and Tara worked in a ballet of confusion. They sidestepped doctors, rad techs, and anyone else that stepped in their way. They worked quickly and diligently and ran their patient to the OR as soon as they knew that she had a big laceration on her liver and her splenic artery was leaking. She was losing more blood than they could get into her in the ER. 

“Impressive, sweetheart. I love watching you work.” Daryl snagged Mallory around the waist when she came back from the OR and pulled her into an empty triage room. “Thank you. I hope she pulls through. She’s in bad shape. I have to say, though, your pre-hospital work is stellar. Maybe you should consider getting your RN and coming to the dark side.” She draped her arms around his neck and he pressed his lips to her forehead. “I’ve been thinking about it.” Mallory snapped her head up, completely shocked. “Why didn’t you say something? If you wanna do it, you should!” Daryl shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t know, I’d miss being on the truck.” “You could do both. We are always looking for part-time nurses here.” He smiled as he thought about it. It could be good for them and would definitely be good for his paramedic career. His radio alerted that he had another call. “We’ll talk about it tonight. Love you, babe. Be careful.” He quickly kissed her. “I love you, too. I’ll text you.” 

Later that night, Daryl came up the stairs to their bedroom and fell face-first onto the bed. Mallory was sitting up reading a book when he came in. “Oh, honey. You ran your ass off today didn’t you?” He nodded into the blankets. “Did you eat?” He shook his head. Mallory eased onto her belly and rested her head next to his and started running her fingers through his hair. “How about you go take a hot shower and I’ll go make you something to eat? I’ll bring it up to you.” Daryl crawled over the top of her, kissing her neck. “How ‘bout we forget the food and you take a shower with me?” Mallory smiled against his lips. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

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“Hey, Mallory!” The nursing supervisor called out to her as she was about to head into the med room. “Hey, Jacqui. How’s it going?” Jacqui followed her into the med room and closed the door behind them. “Am I about to get fired?” Mallory laughed. “Lord, no! You’re one of the best that we have here! Listen, I know that you’re wanting better hours and I’m trying to make that happen. I wanted to let you know that a position came up that you might be interested in.” Mallory stopped keying in the code for the meds she needed and looked at Jacqui, completely confused. “You’re not firing me, I’m one of the best here, but you’re telling me about an open position. I’m intrigued.” Jacqui smiled, reassuringly. “Your job here is one hundred percent safe. I promise. I wanted to let you know before it was posted that there is a part-time flight nurse opening. I know that your trauma skills and credentials are stellar. I think you’d be perfect for it. If you’re interested, I’d be happy to recommend you. As long as you keep up full-time hours between here and the chopper your benefits won’t change.” “Can I have a little time to think about it and to talk to my boyfriend? I want his opinion. He’s a paramedic so I think his input would be invaluable.” Jacqui put her hand on Mallory’s shoulder and nodded. “I can give you a little time before they post it. The flight coordinator owes me a favor. Talk it over with your boyfriend tonight and let me know something tomorrow?” Mallory nodded. She was taken aback by the offer. “H-hey Jacqui. Thank you. I’ll let you know when I come in tomorrow.”

She was distracted for the rest of the day. Her patients were all given her undivided attention, but when she had a quiet moment she was lost in a cloud of jumbled thoughts. She was so distracted, in fact, that she ran right into Negan while looking up info for the additional training she would need on her phone.

“Hey doll,” Negan laughed. “That phone more interesting than me?” Mallory shook it off and laughed. “Sorry, Neegs. How’s it going? Where’s Daryl?” “Tara’s taping up his finger and giving him a tetanus shot. He caught a little biter.”

They walked to the treatment room where Daryl was sitting on the side of a stretcher. “Hi, babe. Heard that you got bit. You ok?” She sat beside him and kissed him. “That kid’s a damn piranha.” Tara and Negan cracked up. “What happened?” Tara continued cleaning the bite while he explained. “Three-year-old little girl freaked out about riding on the stretcher, so I reached out to carry her. She walked right up with her arms out and as soon as I picked her up she bit the shit out of my finger.” 

“You shoulda heard him trying not to yell and cuss at the kid,” Negan laughed. “My poor baby. I’ll make it all better later.” Tara made a face and stopped wrapping Daryl’s finger. “Gross guys. I mean, do you know the definition of TMI?” “Oh please! It’s not like you don’t share stories about you and Denise.” That immediately grabbed Negan’s attention. “Tell me more about these stories, Tara.” Negan had a shit-eating grin on his face. “Jesus you’re gross, Negan. I’m not sharing shit with you.” Tara cleaned Daryl’s bicep with an alcohol wipe and Negan continued shit-talking Tara. “OW!!! Dammit, woman! You know how to give a shot or are you just learning?” Daryl glared at Tara and everyone started laughing. “Yeah, you remember that time you were a dick to Mallory? Cause I sure do.” Tara smirked and slapped a band-aid on his aching arm.

Daryl came in and kissed Mallory’s cheek. She was sitting at the dining room table with her laptop. “Hi, baby. How’s your finger and your arm?” He popped the top of a couple of cold beers and sat beside her. “If I tell ya that it hurts will you kiss it and make it better?” “Of course I will, baby.” Daryl took a swig of his beer and pointed the bottle at her computer. “Whatcha up to?” She closed the laptop and told him about Jacqui’s offer. “I wanted to talk to you first. I want to know what you think.” 

He was quiet and wouldn’t look at her until he just couldn’t take it anymore. “Sweetheart! I think that you’d be damn good at it and you should do it! If that’s what you wanna do, of course.” “I’d have to take the certified flight registered nurse exam, but I don’t think that will be a problem. At least, I hope it’s not.” Daryl lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles. “You’re excellent at what you do. You know all the stuff. I’ll help you study if you want.” She went over and sat down on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Of course I want you to help me. Have you given any more thought to getting your RN?” He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe.” “Daryl, we’re still young. You should do it. Even if you only work enough to keep your RN license it might come in handy someday.” He chewed on his bottom lip as he thought about what she said. She was right. The burnout rate for paramedics is insane. He’d come close a few times, but the desire to help people kept pulling him back in. “You know that you’re beautiful when you’re right?”

They laid in bed, completely sated, and a little sweaty. “You really think this flight nurse thing is a good idea?” Daryl rubbed his thumb lazily up and down her arm. “Mmm-hmm. I do. I did some time on the helicopter when I did my clinicals. You’re so good in the ER I know you’d be a natural at this.” Mallory let out a soft breath and tucked herself in even closer. “Let’s do this together. I’ll help you study for your nursing license, and you’ll help me study for my certification.” “That mean you’re gonna Tell Jacqui that you’re taking the job?” He felt her smile on his chest and could help his own. “That’s my girl!” 

Mallory grabbed Jacqui almost as soon as she got through the door. “That thing we talked about yesterday, I want it!” Jacqui was thrilled to hear it. “I’ll go call and let him know right now. They are going to be so happy to have you!”


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> All kinds of tooth-rotting fluffiness ahead!

Daryl was home before Mallory, so he was making dinner. They had been working crazy hours again. Christmastime was coming up soon and it seemed like everyone was trying to take time off to get their decorating and shopping done. He and Mallory finally had a little time off for the next few days. With some creative shift swaps and schedule planning, they were going to get to spend the next four days together. They needed it. They missed each other like crazy. 

Daryl stopped at a little Christmas tree lot on his way home and picked up a real tree. He’d always loved the way they smelled. Since he hadn’t had time to run in and actually shop for any decorations he ordered some and Amazon came through and his packages were waiting at their door when he got home. Thank God for online shopping.

Technically, they were going to get three of their four days off together. Daryl had plans with Tara and Denise tomorrow. He hoped that it wouldn’t take all day. He knew pretty much what he wanted to get her. Thanks to Tara, he had even been able to slip a ring sizer on Mallory’s finger when she was sleeping so he knew the right size to get. He knew just how he was going to ask her, but he wasn’t telling anyone. This was his secret and he wanted Mallory to be the one to decide if she wanted to share how he proposed.

Since Mallory’s assault and watching Negan with Rosita and seeing her little belly starting to grow, Daryl hadn’t been able to think about anything other than spending the rest of his life with her. She was everything that he ever wanted. He felt sure enough that Mallory felt the same way. She lit up every time she saw him, even if he was bringing in patients for her to take care of. No one ever made him laugh or feel as free as she did. Negan told him that he needed to go for it. “Life’s too short not to go after what makes you happy, man. Me and Ro have been talking about eloping, but it would break her mother’s heart, so I’m still working on her dad.” Daryl thought about what his friend told him and he knew that he was right. When he called Tara a few days ago, he made her promise that she wouldn’t tell a soul. Of course, he compromised and told her that she could tell Denise, but no one else was to know. Before they ended the call plans were made for ‘Operation Engagement’ and Daryl was oddly at peace. 

“Holy shit, babe! What smells so good?” Mallory had only stepped through the door and was kicking off her shoes when she smelled dinner. She ran in and wrapped her arms around him in the tightest hug. “I’m so glad to be home! I missed you.” Daryl kissed her sweetly and told her that he had been missing her too. “Dinner is almost ready. It’s something that my mom taught me how to make.” Mallory went to the stove to see what he made. “It’s Salisbury steak with gravy and mashed potatoes. Real potatoes, not instant, thank you very much.” Daryl was grinning like a Cheshire cat. “Go get washed up and it’ll be ready when you’re done.”

Mallory sat at the table with her legs crossed in the chair. Daryl was telling her about how he would pull up a stool and stand with his mom when she cooked. “She would hold my hands when I was real small and make sure that I didn’t make too much of a mess.” Mallory smiled at the thought of that wonderful memory. She wished that she had been able to meet her. She sounded like a beautiful, loving lady. “How old were you when she taught you how to make this?” Daryl thought about it for a moment and was taken back to a particularly cold night. She wanted to make sure that the boys had a good hot meal. Will was working late and Merle was at ball practice. Daryl had already finished his homework and asked if he could help. He remembered his mother smiling at him and telling him she would love it if he did. “I guess I was probably twelve. She loved to cook and she was good at it. She was happy that I wanted her to teach me how to make the things she liked to cook.” Mallory reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “I’m so glad that you have so many happy memories of her.” Daryl had to stop and take a breath. Sometimes it was easy to forget that she was gone because she was still so alive in his heart. “Yeah. I am too.” 

Mallory cleaned up after dinner and went to sit with Daryl in the living room. “Thank you for dinner and for getting us a tree. I’ve not had a real tree since I was a little girl. Can this be our tradition?” He pulled her against him, giving her a chaste kiss. “Absolutely. Does that mean that you’re thinking about a lot more Christmases with me?” She looked through her lashes and smiled. “Oh, you know, just all of them.”

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Daryl met Tara and Denise at a jewelry shop that he knew that his dad used. Will loved to get his Josie something special for their anniversary every year, and this was the only place that he would come to. Daryl hoped that it held the same magic for him as it had for his parents. 

Tara nearly knocked him on his ass when he got out of his truck. “I’m so freakin excited for you guys! I’ve been looking forward to this since you called!” Denise came over and hugged him, too, only much less enthusiastically. She was just as excited about this as Tara, but she thought that poor Daryl would be on his ass if she jumped in and hugged him as hard. “You ready to do this?” Tara asked as she rubbed her cold hands together. Daryl had the biggest grin on his face either of them had ever seen. “Let’s go get a ring.”

Tara asked where the engagement rings were as soon as they were in the door. A very kind older lady showed them to the two cases that held all of the engagement rings and bridal sets. “Is there anything in particular that you have in mind, sir?” Daryl had an idea but had no idea how to describe settings and all of that. “Well, my girlfriend is a nurse at an emergency room, so I want to get her something that won’t rip gloves every time she tries to put them on. And, I want to get her something that isn’t super traditional. I don’t want her to have a ring that’s just like anyone else’s.” The lady smiled and asked if he knew what kind of ring Mallory liked. “Uh… I haven’t talked to her about it because I wanted this to be a surprise. Was that a bad idea? I’ve never done this, so I don’t really know. Am I supposed to have her with me to pick it out?” Daryl looked like he was about to go into a full-blown panic attack any second. She laughed good-naturedly and patted Daryl’s hand. “Oh no, not at all. Your lady is going to love that you put so much thought into making sure that this was a special surprise. Let’s look around and see if something catches your eye.”

Tara and Denise looked at all of the engagement rings over and over, discussing the pros and cons of the ones that they each thought Mallory would like. Daryl and Mrs. Henderson were looking at a different case altogether. Mrs. Henderson asked questions about Mallory so she could get a general idea of what she looked like, what her hands were like, and what kind of girl she was. All of those things would help her to point Daryl in the right direction. 

It didn’t take her long to show Daryl some of the vintage style settings she had available. He could then choose a diamond to go into the setting. “Since she works with her hands and has to wear gloves so often, I recommend something called the bezel-set. The diamond sets flush with the setting so it won’t snag and tear them.” Daryl nodded as he looked over each of the rings. He saw a few that he liked until he moved his hand from the glass. Right under where he had been resting his hand was the perfect one. “That one! That’s the one right there!” Tara and Denise heard his excited tone and raced over to see what he found. 

The setting was a beautiful platinum ring with an open braid pattern on each side. There were little diamonds in each opening of the braids, and the whole thing was filled with tiny diamonds that made the entire ring sparkle. Mrs. Henderson happily took it out of the case so Daryl could look at it more closely. “Well,” Daryl looked at Tara and Denise, “what do you think?” They both were speechless. Mallory was a lucky girl, indeed. All either of them could do for the moment was nod. “Alright, let’s choose the diamond.”

Daryl needed a complete education on diamonds. Cut, color, clarity, and carat weight were not things that he knew about. Mrs. Henderson was patient with him as she explained everything and Tara and Denise were more than happy to help. Once they all agreed on the perfect stone all that was left was deciding on whether or not Daryl wanted an inscription. “Yeah, I know just what I want.” He wrote it on a slip of paper and gave it to Mrs. Henderson before Tara and Denise could see it. “It’s private. I want Mallory to see if before anyone else knows what it says.” Tara laid her head on Daryl’s arm, wrapping her arms around it. “Daryl Dixon, I have to say that you are probably the most romantic guy I’ve ever known.” Mrs. Henderson looked up at Daryl. “Dixon? You wouldn’t be related to Will Dixon would you?” 

“He’s my dad. He’s how I knew about this place. He used to come here and buy my mom gifts for their anniversary every year. He always told my brother and me that this was the place to come.” Mrs. Henderson held her hand over her heart. “I remember your father coming in. He sure loved your mother. I haven’t seen him for some time.” Daryl’s eyes dropped for a moment. He always hated having to tell people about his parents and then getting pity about it. Somehow, the pity made it worse. “My mom passed away a little over a year ago and my dad has dementia and is in a full-time care facility.” Mrs. Henderson kept her apologies for his parents short but sincere. “I have such good memories of helping your father for so many years. I’m honored to now be helping you.”

Christmas was two weeks away and it was just enough time to get the stone placed in the setting and the inscription done. Mrs. Henderson said that she would personally see to it that a rush was placed on his order and promised that he would have it before Christmas Eve. Daryl only had to pay for the ring and then he was done. He had hardly touched the inheritance money he got from his mother’s life insurance. He and Merle had gotten a share. Merle used his money to build an addition on his house when he and Carol found out they were having Sophia. Daryl had been sitting in his account collecting interest until he needed it. He knew that this would be exactly what his mother would want him to use some of that money for.

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Negan decided that he just needed to take the bull by the horns, so to speak. Rosita’s father had been slowly warming up to him until they announced to her parents that she was pregnant. Mr. Espinosa flipped his shit, just as Negan had expected him to. Rosita and her parents screamed at one another in Spanish as if Negan wasn’t even there. He hated what this was doing to Rosita. He needed her parents to see that his intentions were nothing less than honorable. 

Negan called Abe and asked if he’d be interested in selling the house to him. Abe was more than happy to do it. Abe called his realtor and told her that he had someone that wanted the house and that he wanted to do whatever had to be done to make it happen. 

Negan drove Rosita to her parent’s home and asked them to come with him. “I have something that I need you to see.” Mrs. Espinosa dragged her husband out the door, telling him that this was something important. Even more important than that, if he didn’t stop being so bullheaded they were going to miss out on the life of their first grandchild.

When they pulled up in front of the house that Negan had spent so much time working on, Rosita gave him a questioning look. “Be patient, love. Once we’re all inside I’ll explain everything.” Negan took her arm in his and they all walked inside. Negan showed them every room, telling them what had been done and how much he’d done in each room. Mr. Espinosa was impressed despite himself. The house was lovely. Abraham made sure that all of the appliances were high-end. To him, the appliances would help to sell the place and were sure to last. His realtor had agreed with him on the point. Abe cut corners where he could, but nothing he, Daryl, and Negan did was less than master craftsmanship quality. 

“I asked you all to come here tonight because I wanted to tell all of you, together, that I put in an offer on the house and it was accepted. Mr. Espinosa, I know that you don’t approve of me for your daughter, but I love her. I want to give her the kind of life that she deserves. I can’t start her out with a baby in a little apartment with no yard. We need a place for our little one to play, A place for a puppy. A place for us to have more babies and to grow our family.”

Rosita and her mother were moved to tears by Negan’s profession of love and his gesture to prove that he not only could but would give Rosita all of the good things in life. “Negan,” Rosita whispered. “You bought us a house?” He pulled her close and rubbed her little belly. “I did. I know that I probably should have included you in making the decision, but every day that I worked here all I could see was us making a life here. If this isn’t the house that you want, we’ll sell it and I’ll buy you whatever you want.” She laughed as she wiped her eyes. “Shut up you jackass. It’s perfect. It’s beautiful.” 

“Oh,” Negan said as he reached into his jacket pocket. “Just one more thing.” Right there in the empty living room, Negan got on one knee in front of her parents and put a ring on Rosita’s finger. “I know we’re doing things a little out of order, but I like things a little crazy. Just like you. Ro, would you do me the honor of being my wife?” Rosita was saying yes before Negan could get to his feet. He looked up at Mr. Espinosa with a big smile. “This good with you?” For the first time, Mr. Espinosa looked at Negan as a good and honorable man. A man who was worthy of his baby girl. “Of course. You both have my blessing and my love.” Rosita went from hugging Negan to hugging her father. She was happier than she ever could have imagined she could be.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just some happy, naughty fun ;)

Daryl and Mallory were putting the finishing touches on their first Christmas tree when Daryl’s phone rang. “Hello?” It was Negan. When Negan started the day he had no idea how things were going to go. Hell, he didn’t really even have a plan, let alone think that the offer on the house would be accepted so quickly, but Abe really came through for him. “Hey brother, I just wanted to let you know that I bought the house, proposed to Rosita, and her dad likes me now.” Daryl had a very confused look on his face and looked at his phone to make sure that he was talking to Negan. “How about you and Rosita come over and explain all of this to us. I’m sure that Mallory is going to have questions too.” Negan laughed and told him that they would be there in about fifteen minutes. 

Daryl was right about Mallory having questions. She was on him as soon as he dropped his phone on the couch. “Is Ro ok? Did something happen with her dad? What happened?” He couldn’t help but laugh at how keyed up she was. She hardly took in a breath between questions. “All he said was that they were buying Abe’s house, that he proposed, and that he was under Mr. Espinosa’s good graces, finally.” 

Daryl made a fresh pot of coffee while Mallory paced, waiting impatiently for their friends to arrive. She needed details yesterday. This was one of the multitudes of things that Daryl cherished most about her. When someone was happy, she was wholeheartedly excited for them. When someone was in need, they had her undivided attention and support. 

Daryl put his hands on Mallory’s shoulders and looked into her sparkling emerald eyes, smiling his fool head off. “Baby, they’ll be here any minute. Just relax. We’re gonna get all those details that I know you’re dying for.” He kissed the tip of her nose and she smiled back. “I know, but this is huge and I can’t help being excited.” Just as Daryl was about to say something else, there was a knock at the door and Mallory nearly knocked him on his ass to answer it.

Mallory practically dragged Negan and Rosita inside and ushered them to the living room. “Talk! Tell us everything!” They were all laughing at just how Mallory needed to know everything right now. “Well, I put in an offer on Abe’s house and he called the realtor to make it happen. Once the offer was accepted, I picked up Ro and we went to get her parents. Rosita is as bad as you,” Negan teased, pointing at Mallory. “The whole time, she kept asking me what was going on, where we were going, why we were dragging her parents out. I took everyone in and showed them everything we did and then told them all together that I bought the house for Ro and me. I told her pops that I didn’t want to start her out with a baby in a tiny apartment with no yard for our little one and that I wanted to give her everything that she deserved. I told him that I loved her and that I wanted to give her a life filled with happiness.” Negan looked into Rosita’s dark brown eyes, lovingly. “Then, I got down on my knee and asked her to marry me.” Mallory fanned her eyes to try to hold back her tears. Negan had just told the most romantic tale, and it was all real. She and Daryl were happy to see their dear friends finally get the peace and happiness they needed to let their love grow. 

Rosita wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and told them the rest. “Negan looked my dad right in the eye and said, “This good with you?” I had a moment when I wasn’t sure which way it was going to go, but then I saw my dad’s eyes and he was smiling. He gave us his blessing and his love. He even hugged Negan and had him show him a few more things about the house.” 

Daryl and Mallory wanted to take Negan and Rosita out to celebrate, but they asked for a raincheck for the evening. Her parents had called almost as soon as they dropped them off and asked them to come for dinner. They had an offer they wanted to make to the couple. So, Daryl and Mallory decided that they would stay in and just enjoy their quiet time together. 

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They were watching TV on the couch, Mallory curled up on her side and Daryl was lazily running his fingers up and down her legs. Mallory was deep into the movie and Daryl was deep into watching her. She ran her fingers through random strands of her hair, twirling them around her fingers every now and then. He also couldn’t help but notice the outline of her nipples through her thin nightshirt. His hand began to roam higher up her thigh, pushing up the hem of her shirt and catching a glimpse of her panties. He scooted a little closer so his hands could reach a little further. 

Mallory wiggled a little closer to her man. The way he was rubbing her legs felt pretty damn good. Plus, he was looking at her like he wanted to eat her up with a spoon and she sure wasn’t going to stop him. She shifted so that her legs were slightly parted, giving his hands a little more freedom to roam. She bit back a little grin, still trying to play like nothing was happening other than an innocent leg rub. 

She let him carry on a little longer and then sat up, turning to put her head on his lap. She would have laughed if she’d seen the frustrated scowl when he thought he wasn’t going to get anywhere. Sometimes, Mallory would get deep into a movie and would miss little hints, at least until the movie was over or until Daryl turned it off. Tonight was different though. Mallory laid her head on his lap facing him, clearly no longer watching TV. He looked at her curiously, but she pretended not to see it. She traced the outline of his dick with her finger on the outside of his thin sleep pants. “Thought we were watching this?” he asked, pointing toward the opposite wall. “You can keep watching if you want. I’m going to do other stuff.” She tugged his pants and boxer briefs down until he had to lift his hips. He watched the tip of her tongue slip just past her lips and then lick a trail from base to tip. “Keep that up and we ain’t watching the rest of this tonight.” “Precisely why I’m doing it.” Her fingers glided up his shirt over the little smattering of hair on his belly and chest. It always sent shivers through him when she did that. 

“You wanna go upstairs?” he asked as she drew her knees underneath her to put herself in a better position for what she wanted. “Not yet.” Slowly, she licked all the way around the tip, then flattened her tongue to lick him more completely. Daryl wound his fingers into her thick locks on each side of her head and let out a contented sigh. That woman knew how to please him completely with her mouth. “Ah fuck,” he hissed when he felt himself sink into her warm, wet mouth. Mallory hollowed her cheeks and pulled slowly back to the tip. “Fuuuuuuuck, baby. ‘S so good.” She eased up until she was on her hands and knees, one hand on his thigh and the other still on his chest. She moaned as she went at him. Some girls say that they don’t like going down on their guy and that they only do it for the return in favor. Mallory was not those girls. She loved the feel of him in her mouth and the sounds she could cause him to make. The way his body felt beneath her like this and the way that she could feel him tense and relax and his body’s response when she brought him to completion was exhilarating to her. 

Daryl hissed as her nails dug into his thigh, digging little half-moon crescents into his skin. She shoved his shirt up to his chest until he grabbed the hem, pulling it over his head and flinging it aside. Mallory dragged her nails up his inner thigh, earning her a low moan that she could feel vibrating in his chest. She grasped his cock at the base and worked her hand in time with her mouth, stroking and sucking him until his eyes rolled back. Daryl gave himself over to the dual sensations. Her warm, wet mouth and tight grip of her hand were quickly taking him to utter ecstasy. 

“You suck my dick so good, baby.” Daryl’s fingers tightened their grip in her hair and started guiding her head. He gently began thrusting his hips in time with Mallory’s motions. He watched her head moving up and down on him and let his head fall back on the couch cushion. “Mal… Yeah, baby. Keep, uh, that. Do. That.” Yeah, Mallory was damn good at what she was doing. Hearing him breathless and feeling so good only served to push her on. She relaxed her throat as much as possible and took him even deeper. She pulled hard all the way back to the tip, over and over until Daryl’s moaning became desperate. The grip on her hair became painful and his body shook as he came, moaning loudly. 

Daryl yanked at her panties and shoved up her nightshirt while their lips and tongues tangled in a heated battle. They stumbled all the way to the stairs. They needed more room than the couch could offer for what he wanted to do to her. He wanted her laid out and done right. His hands were all over her. Touching every inch of her that he could get his hands on until they crashed against the side of the bed. With the devil’s look in his eyes, he dipped down and licked from her navel to her breast. He kissed the underside of it, sucking it a little. Her body arched against him. Running his hot tongue around her areola, feeling the skin crinkle as her nipples hardened to stiff peaks. 

He tormented her with his lips and tongue until she was begging for him. “Please, baby. I need you inside me.” “Don’t gotta ask me twice. How do you want it, sweetheart?” “Fuck me hard.” Daryl pulled one of her legs over his shoulder and the other around his waist before slamming into her. “God yes, baby!” She pulled his hair and stared into his intense eyes. “Give me all you got.” The corner of his lips turned up into a dirty little smirk. “You. Are. Mine.” 

Daryl fucked into her at a punishing pace and didn’t let up for a second. “Yours, baby. Only yours,” Mallory moaned over and over. Daryl rested his forehead against hers, staring into her eyes. He held his weight off of her on one elbow and gripped her thigh as if it was his only tether to earth. “So fuckin’ beautiful. Already close aren’t you, baby?” Mallory’s brow was knitted together, her moans were raspy and breathy. “Talk to me, Mal. Tell me.” She tried a few times before her voice finally caught on. “More, Daryl. Harder. Faster.” He grinned and brought the leg around his waist over his shoulder. “Oh my God, Daryl! Yes, baby!” “Open your mouth for me, sweetheart.” He slipped two of his fingers into her mouth to get them wet before sliding them down to her clit. 

Almost as soon as Daryl started teasing her with his fingers, he stopped and climbed off her. Standing at the side of the bed, he grabbed Mallory’s hips and yanked her to the edge of the bed. Mallory let out a little shriek and giggle. Daryl shoved her legs wide apart and sank back into her, gripping her hips painfully. “Oh fuck, baby!” Daryl was a man on a mission and he wasn’t stopping until he got his sweet reward. His animalistic grunts and growls drove her closer than she had been only moments before. He let go of her hip long enough to reach into her nightstand drawer and grab her vibrator. 

As soon as the wand made contact with her sensitive nub, Mallory’s legs tried to clamp together. Daryl shoved them apart, holding one with his free hand and pinning the other with his knee. “Oh God, Daryl! Baby!” Her back arched deeply and she tore at the blankets for a grip on anything to hold. “C’mon, sweet girl. Cum for me.” “I am! Oh fuck, baby!” She tried to push the vibrator away, but Daryl didn’t let her. “Not until I’m done, sweetheart.” With the way, Mallory was milking him with her intense orgasm, and the way she was screaming his name he wasn’t far behind her. He came with a roar, dropping the vibrator to the floor with a clatter, he fell forward onto her. 

Mallory ran her fingers through his sweaty hair as he lay on her chest catching his breath and trying to regain enough strength to climb onto the bed. “I love you so much, Mallory.” His words were muffled as he said them against her damp skin. “I love you, too, baby.” When he was able to finally make his way into bed, Mallory went to clean herself up. She brought back a washcloth to clean him and found him already snoring softly. She cleaned him up a bit, just so he wasn’t gross, and then got them both under the covers. Even in his sleep he searched her out and pulled her close.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This story is coming to an end. There are only 2 more chapters & an epilogue. I have another completed story ready to post when this one ends.
> 
> This chapter has some happiness & a little sadness (get the tissues) *I promise that nothing happens to any of our lovebirds! I don't do unhappy endings!*

Daryl and Mallory both had to work on Christmas Eve so they could have Christmas Day off. The day was cold, gray, and wet which made for a lot of people slipping and falling and lots of traffic accidents. Of course, there were the cooking injuries and cuts from opening those hard plastic packages. A few of the doctors brought in snacks for the nurses, plus someone made a crockpot full of hot chocolate. 

Tara came in a few hours after Mallory and she had boxes of cookies that she and Denise made for the staff. “Oh my God! Did she make those amazing muddy buddy cookies that I love?” Tara grinned before she could even see Mallory’s face. “She made a box just for you and Daryl.” “Well, good thing for me that Daryl hates peanut butter. These babies are all mine!” Tara put the cookies on the table beside the hot chocolate. “How the hell does someone hate peanut butter? That’s just weird.” Mallory was already eating one of the cookies and holding another. “He says that it’s nasty and he hates it,” Mallory shrugged. “Well, in that case, take him a box of chocolate chunk ones. He’ll eat those won’t he?” “Oh yeah. He loves chocolate.” 

After Mallory tucked her treats safely away in her locker, she and Tara headed out to the madhouse. “Did you get all your shopping done for Denise? I know that you were still looking for that special something.” Tara gave her a happy little smile. “I did. I got her this great painting that she’s been eyeing for months. She wanted something funky to go on the living room wall, but she wouldn’t sink that much money on it. So, I went to the shop the other day and found it marked down to half-price. She’s gonna flip.” “You guys are so sweet together.” 

Daryl and Negan came in with a patient complaining of chest pain after a heated family argument. Mallory and Tara led them into a room and Negan gave his report to them when some of the angry family members came in continuing their argument from earlier. Tara tried to politely redirect everyone so they could focus on caring for their patient. It seemed that the harder she tried the more crowded the room became as more family members came in despite being told they needed to leave. No one was listening and voices were getting louder and tensions were growing by the second. Mallory let out an exasperated sigh and then brought out her inner bitch. 

“Everyone who is in this room that is not medical personnel or the patient needs to get out of this room or I will call security and have you removed!” Her voice was loud and carried throughout the ER. One of the women in the group marched up to Mallory in a challenging manner and opened her mouth to argue, but Mallory promptly shut her down. “Lady, unless you are about to say yes ma’am to me I don’t want to hear it. All of you out. NOW!” There were threats of complaining to management and thinly veiled threats against Mallory who stood at the door and offered directions on how to file a complaint. 

Daryl and Negan were laughing at how everyone scampered from the room with their tails tucked between their legs after Mallory laid down the law. It was something that they both actually admired, and it gave Daryl peace of mind knowing that she could handle herself. “Hey, sweetheart, I still need to get a signature for transfer of care,” Daryl called out before she could disappear back into the room. “Oh, yeah. Sorry about that.” He brushed his fingers over hers as he handed off the tablet for her to sign. “You did good, baby. I love it when you’re all mean to people.” She snorted and handed him back his tablet. “You still off at six?” He told her that he was and made sure no one important was looking before stealing a quick kiss. “I love you. Can’t wait to get you home.”

Daryl couldn’t keep his secret anymore. He’d picked up Mallory’s ring two days ago and had been carrying it around with him so Mallory didn’t accidentally find it. After he and Negan climbed into their truck, Daryl pulled out the ring to show him. “Why, Daryl, I didn’t know that you felt this way!” Negan put his hands to his mouth and feigned tears. “Man, shut up! I’m gonna ask Mallory to marry tomorrow. You can’t say anything to anyone.” Negan leveled his eyes to Daryl’s. “Brother, I am sincerely happy for you. You and Mallory are good for each other. And, you have my word that I won’t say a word to anyone. Congratulations.” 

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Daryl and Mallory made it home at nearly the same time that night. Daryl was only ahead of her by a few minutes so he went in and turned on all of their Christmas lights and changed out of his uniform. He heard Mallory at the door and went to help her with her things. “Hi, babe. I’m so happy to be home. You been here long?” “Ten minutes or so. What’s in those boxes?” She knew that he was going to be happy about the treats inside. “Denise and Tara baked cookies. One box is muddy buddy and the other is chocolate chunk.” 

They snuggled on the couch with their cookies and some milk. It was a cold night and they were glad to be home early enough to spend a little time together before the craziness of going to visit family the next day. 

“Can we open our presents, babe?” Mallory asked with a pout. Daryl scowled and shook his head. “Ain’t Christmas yet.” “Please, baby! I’ve been a really good girl.” Daryl laughed, shaking his head and dusting the crumbs off of his chest. “Sweetheart, I live with you. I know for a fact that you haven’t been a good girl.” She started laughing too, throwing a pillow at him. She knew full well that she was a brat, but she still wanted to open presents. “See! That right there; naughty!” 

After a good deal of kissing up and, well, kissing, Mallory was able to talk Daryl into them opening their presents to each other. They sat on the floor by the tree tearing into their gifts. Mallory bought Daryl some clothes and a watch that she just knew that he’d like. She also got him some things that she knew would be helpful for when he started nursing school. Daryl got Mallory the boots that she had been eyeing for so long and some of the things that she wanted for their loft. They set a budget for what they could spend on one another and stuck to it for the most part. Of course, Daryl still had one present that she wouldn’t be getting until Christmas morning. Now all he had to do was convince her to go to bed. 

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Daryl didn’t get any sleep at all that night. It was like the diamond ring in his nightstand drawer was screaming at him to let it out. He had a plan, though. He had replayed the scenario through his head a million times since he decided how he was going to propose. He didn’t have any worry that she would say anything but yes, he was simply excited about seeing her response. 

There were moments during the night that he gave serious consideration to waking her up and asking her, but he forced himself to be patient. They had to be at her parents’ house early for Christmas breakfast, so he only had to hold on a little longer. 

He tossed and turned a bit in a vain attempt to get comfortable and possibly get a little bit of sleep, but it just wasn’t meant to be. So, when the first bit of daylight broke he decided that it was time. He quietly opened the drawer and found the little velvet box that held the diamond ring. He took the ring between his fingers, holding it tightly to make sure that he didn’t drop it in the bed. Mallory was on her back with her left hand on her belly. He very carefully slipped the ring onto her dainty finger and just looked at the way it sparkled even in the nearly dark room. He turned onto his side and took a thin strand of Mallory’s hair and tickled her nose with it. She scrunched up her nose and went right back to sleep. On the third attempt, she raked the back of her hand across her face. “Ouch! Babe, something scratched my face.” Daryl had to bite his lips to keep from laughing at the way she was pouting. “Hmmm?” he feigned a sleepy voice. “What happened?” She repeated that something scratched her face. He switched on his lamp and leaned over her. “Let’s see, sweetheart.” He kissed her and told her that it was time to get up anyway. “We gotta get ready to go to your parents’ place.” Mallory stretched and rubbed her hands across her face and stopped when she felt something unfamiliar on her hand. 

She held her hand in front of her face for a moment, unsure if what she was looking at was real or a dream. She switched on her own lamp, still looking at her left hand. “Daryl…” She was misty-eyed and looking to him to let her know if she was dreaming. “Marry me.” She looked from him to her hand and back to him again, still not sure if it was really happening. “Daryl? Is this… Did you… I mean, are you serious?” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. “I’ve never been more serious about anything. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to make you happy. I want us to be happy and have everything we ever wanted. So, will you marry me?” 

Mallory knocked him flat on his back, squealing and crying and laughing all at once. “Yes! Oh my God, yes!” She kissed him over and over, laughing and crying and asking him if it was real. “I promise, sweetheart, it’s real. I love you and I want to spend all of my days with you by my side.” He swept her hair away from her face with both of his hands. “Are you happy, baby?” Her smile was all the answer he needed. “I’ve never been happier in my life. I love you, Daryl. I can’t wait to be your wife.”

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They were barely inside Mr. and Mrs. Ford’s front door and still loaded down with packages when Mallory started squealing and bouncing, excited to tell her parents and brother their big news. “What in the world are you so excited about, Mallory Kate Ford?” Mrs. Ford laughed. Abe and Mr. Ford took all of the packages and were putting them under the tree with all of the rest when Mallory all but screamed that Daryl had proposed. Daryl’s face and ears turned a bright shade of red and he laughed nervously waiting for everyone to respond. Of course, Mrs. Ford was crying and hugging her daughter. Her dad and Abe were suddenly flanking Daryl, both men were taller than him, and, if he was being honest, it was more than a little intimidating. “Congratulations, son,” Mr. Ford said, clapping Daryl on the back hard enough to nearly knock the wind out of him. “Damn glad to have you in the family.” Mr. Ford wouldn’t make eye contact for a few minutes. He wasn’t ready for Daryl to see him with tears in his eyes. Mr. Ford’s little girl had gone and fallen in love and it was bittersweet for his father’s heart. 

“Congrats, brother!” Abe said, giving Daryl a guy hug. “Damn happy for you two.” Daryl thanked Abe, but he couldn’t take his eyes away from Mallory and her father sharing a very emotional embrace. “My baby girl is all grown up and getting married.” Daryl was almost weepy hearing the watery way her dad’s voice sounded. “Daryl,” Mrs. Ford said lovingly. Her eyes sparkled the same way Mallory’s did. She smiled happily and pulled him into her arms. “Welcome to the family, honey. We couldn’t have chosen a better man for our little girl.” 

The entire Ford family was overjoyed for Daryl and Mallory. The guys laughed at how Mallory and Mrs. Ford were already talking about wedding plans while they all ate breakfast. “Son, I hate to be the one to tell you, but you ain’t gotta single say in this wedding,” Mr. Ford laughed. He took note of how Daryl was looking at Mallory and it reminded him of how he still looked at his own wife. “As long as Mallory is happy, that’s all that matters to me.” 

Their next stop of the day was at Merle and Carol’s house. They were both excited about getting to spend a little time with Sophia. Uncle Daryl and Aunt Mallory may have gone a bit overboard with the presents they bought, but she was their only niece, so they were more than happy to spoil her silly. Now that she was beginning to walk she was ready for some of the bigger toys. 

“What’s wrong, babe? Are you ok?” Mallory noticed that Daryl was quiet on the drive to his brother’s house. The truth was, he had been apprehensive about how things were going to be today. Merle and Carol decided that they wanted to have Will home with the family for Christmas. The last few times they had been to see him, Will had been very quiet and withdrawn. The last time was the worst. He didn’t recognize Daryl and it had broken his heart. “I’ll be ok. I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be a downer.” Mallory slipped her fingers between his and squeezed reassuringly. “It’s gonna be ok, baby. If it gets to be too much, or too hard, we’ll go. I know that you want to spend time with your family, but you can’t suffer for it either. You just tell me and I’ll get a headache or something.” Daryl kissed her hand and thanked her. “I couldn’t do this without you, Mal. You’re so good with dad and you make all of this easier to deal with.”

They were greeted by the sound of laughter when they walked in at Merle’s. Will was sitting in a recliner and was rocking back and bringing his feet down, tapping them against the floor as he reached out for Sophia. Will was laughing like Daryl hadn’t seen in almost two years. Mallory smiled at Daryl and rubbed her hand up and down his back. “Looks like he’s having a good day.” “Yeah. Looks like,” he smiled back. 

The day went better than Daryl could have imagined. Will was pretty cognizant for much of the day. Spending time with his granddaughter was magical. He recognized Daryl and even called him by the correct name for most of the day. He remembered Mallory, though, he struggled with her name. That didn’t matter to her. She was happy that Daryl and Merle had their dad back, if only for a little while. 

Will, Merle, and Carol were overjoyed when they learned of Daryl’s proposal. “I told you that you’d be good for my boy, didn’t I?” Will grinned. Merle got a picture of Will squeezing Mallory and both of them laughing. They managed to get several really good pictures of all of the family together while Will was still doing well. Just as the day started to wind down and the light began to fade from the sky, Will started slipping up. It was subtle, but it was enough for Merle to know that it was probably best to take him back home and get him settled for the night. 

“I was wondering if you minded if we made a stop before we went home,” Daryl asked as he pulled out onto the highway from his brother’s home. Shortly after Merle left to return Will to his facility, Sophia became very cranky from having missed her nap. They left so Carol could get Sophia down and have a few minutes of peace to herself. “Sure, babe. Where are we going?” Daryl looked straight ahead as he drove and told her that he wanted to visit the cemetery. 

He squeezed Mallory’s hand tightly in his and stood silently looking at his mother’s tombstone. He thought he might be able to talk to his mom, maybe introduce Mallory and tell her that they were getting married. But he was overcome with emotion. He missed his mother desperately. He would have given just about anything to have her there. Mallory wrapped him in her arms as sobs wracked his body. This wasn’t how Daryl wanted their Christmas night to go. He really thought that he had mentally prepared himself to come and have a talk with the two most important women in his life. Instead, he was standing here in the cold crying like a baby. 

He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. “It’s ok, baby. I’m right here and we’ll take all the time you need. Would you like a few minutes alone with her?” Mallory wiped away the tears that rolled down his cheeks. “No. Please stay.” They stood facing Josie’s tombstone with their arms around one another. Daryl laid his head on Mallory’s shoulder and that’s how they stayed until it was full dark. With every passing moment that they stood there, Daryl began to feel more and more at peace. He realized that he was glad that his mother wasn’t there to witness her husband slipping away and forgetting everything that had ever mattered to him. Maybe his mother’s sudden passing had been a blessing of sorts. He would forever miss her, but he was also glad that she left this world with peace in her heart. 

“Thank you, Mal. I didn’t mean for the day to end like this. I…” He swallowed the growing lump in his throat. “Umm, I wanted my mom to meet you.” Mallory wanted to cry with him, but her resolve held because he needed her to be strong for him. “We met. She was here with us and she’s happy for you, baby. She’s happy for us.”


	27. Chapter 27

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I hear wedding bells!

It was a warm spring day and everyone was gathered together to celebrate Daryl and Mallory. Christmas night after they returned home from the cemetery Mallory surprised Daryl by suggesting that they get married as soon as they could get their wedding planned and everything together. “Really?” he asked, perplexed. “Well, I was thinking that we were really lucky that your dad was really lucid today. Maybe we can get lucky again. I know it’s not a guarantee, but even if he’s not really all there with us, I want him to be there.” Daryl had done enough crying at his mother’s grave and he really tried not to let any more tears fall, but there they were. “I’m sorry for blubbering like an idiot.” Mallory turned sideways on the couch and held his face in her hands, smiling sweetly at him. “Babe, today has been a very emotional day. It makes me feel good to know that you’re comfortable enough with me to not be ashamed of your emotions. What do ya say? Wanna throw a wedding together in record time?” A lone tear rolled down his cheek but he smiled. “You bet your ass.”

Between the classes they had already registered for and working crazy hours to accommodate said classes, the next few months were crazy. There were days that passed that they didn’t even get to see one another. They called, sent texts, and left little notes for one another just to reassure that they hadn’t forgotten why they were doing it this way. When they were together, they spent every second of that precious time showing just how much they meant to the other. Mallory’s mother, Abe’s girlfriend Amy, Tara, and Denise were happy to jump in and plan as much as they could in Mallory’s absence. Of course, Mallory and Daryl had the final say on what they wanted, but their little wedding committee was more than happy to jump in and do what they could to take as much of the pressure off of the couple. They really admire what they were doing with school and with trying to get their wedding planned in time so Will could be part of it. 

Before they knew it, the first semester of school was over for Daryl, and Mallory had gotten her certification and was picking up shifts on the helicopter. Today, however, none of that mattered. Mallory was sitting in a chair getting the final touches on her makeup, her hair was done, and she was about to slip into her wedding dress. Daryl, Merle, Negan, and Abe were already dressed and they were currently being posed by the photographer. Will was being tended to by a nurse that Mallory knew from the hospital. Ava worked with dementia and Alzheimer’s patients and when she heard what Mallory and Daryl had planned for their wedding she volunteered to come to take care of Will. When they offered to pay her, she refused. She told them to consider it a wedding present. With her experience, she was talking with Will and keeping his mind occupied until the big moment. Whatever forces there were in the universe or divine intervention, or whatever it was, Will was mostly lucid today. They were all praying that it would last through at least the ceremony. 

Daryl, Negan, and Abe were standing at one side of the altar, Tara, Denise, and Rosita were standing at the other. Little Sophia was toddling around just enough by now to attempt the flower girl thing, but as soon as she saw her daddy and Uncle Daryl she dropped her little basket and ran to them, squealing the whole way. Everyone cracked up at the little girl. She ran straight into Daryl’s legs and held her arms up for him to hold her, which he obliged. Thankfully, she reached for her daddy as soon as she was in Daryl’s arms. Daryl wasn’t sure that he wouldn’t have dropped her. As soon as Sophia was safely in her daddy’s arms, the music started and when Daryl looked up and saw his bride with her father holding one arm and his father holding her other, he was breathless. It was as if nothing else existed in that singular moment when he saw the love of his life. Negan must have noticed that Daryl was faltering because he whispered to Daryl to breathe. 

Mallory and Daryl changed up the part about who gives away the bride. It was so important to her that she had Daryl’s father be part of the ceremony, if he was able, that they came up with a way for both fathers to do the honors. When the preacher asked who gives this woman away, her father would say that he and her mother did. Then the preacher would ask who takes this woman to be part of the family and Will would say that he and Josie did. Merle spent weeks going over this with his father. Even the nurses at his home were helping to work with him to help him to remember this. Merle was close enough that he could step down and remind Will what he was he was supposed to say if he needed to, but Will stood before everyone with a glowing smile and proudly recited his line. It nearly brought Daryl and Merle to their knees. 

Daryl’s hands were shaking when he took Mallory’s in his. He wasn’t nervous about getting married, he just hoped that he would always be the man that Mallory needed him to be. All that mattered to him was her happiness and he would do anything to make sure that she had all of that and all of his love. 

Mallory was so relieved when Will successfully made it through accepting her into the Dixon family. She and Daryl tried to mentally prepare in case he couldn’t do it, but she knew that deep down Daryl would be a little disappointed. When he proudly announced to everyone that he and Josie welcomed her into the family Mallory nearly cried with joy. The look in Daryl’s eyes and the hitch in his breath was everything to her. When she joined hands with Daryl, everything around them disappeared. They repeated their vows and they each placed a ring on the other’s finger as a symbol of their infinite love. For all of the months of planning and preparation, the ceremony was over quickly. Mallory’s emotions finally overcame her when she and Daryl were pronounced husband and wife. She would love him for the rest of her life. Of that, she had no doubt.

Immediately following the ceremony the photographer snapped as many photos with Will as he could. They knew that he would tire pretty quickly and that he might start to fade before long, so they wanted to capture as many memories as they could. Daryl would never forget all that Mallory did to make this happen. He would always be thankful for this last really good day with his father. Will actually lasted a little longer than any of them anticipated he would. He was doing so well that he even cut in and danced with Mallory once. Of course, Merle and Daryl stood close by in case Will got tired, but amazingly, he danced the whole song through. When it was over, Mallory had to slip off and cry for a moment. It was such a touching moment to have shared with a beautiful man. It was clear that Will had done well with his boys. They had grown up and become the gentlemen that he and Josie had lovingly raised. 

“Sweetheart,” Daryl said as he poked his head around the door. “You ok?” Mallory wiped her tears away and smiled at her husband. “I am. It was just so unexpected,” her breath caught and she fanned her face with her hands to try to stem the tears from developing again. Little good it did her because Daryl wrapped her in her loving embrace and the dam broke. She had prayed that Will would have a good day, but this far exceeded her expectations. All along she thought that she wanted this for Daryl, but now she realized that she had wanted it for herself as well. 

Ava, the sweet nurse who had taken care of Will all day recognized that he was beginning to get tired and had started to slip. She spotted Daryl as he stepped out the door of the reception hall and quickly followed. “Oh my gosh! You guys, I am so sorry to interrupt. I just wanted to let you know that Will is pretty worn out and I’m going to take him back.” Daryl and Mallory both hugged Ava and thanked her repeatedly for taking such good care of Will. “I’m happy that I was able to do this for you and that he had such a good day. Congratulations.”

Daryl and Mallory saw Will and Ava off and hid out for another few minutes to just enjoy a few peaceful moments alone. When they returned to the party, they finally let loose and just enjoyed the night with their friends and family. Negan and Rosita were the first to leave. They were anxious to get back to their precious baby girl. Negan was the daddy of the year as far as Mallory could tell. When Ana was born, you would have thought that she was the first baby to ever come into the world. Negan was practically flagging down people to show off pictures of his little princess. He was also going for husband of the year, too. He refused to let Rosita lift a finger at home unless it was to take care of Ana. He was still at it even a few months later. Daryl told Mallory that he almost didn’t recognize his friend anymore and it amused him. 

At the end of the night, Daryl whisked his bride away to a hotel in downtown Atlanta. They were leaving for their honeymoon in the morning, but it just didn’t seem right to spend their first night as husband and wife at home. Daryl splurged on a suite and the honeymoon. He still had some of his inheritance from his mother left and he knew that his mom would have expected him to treat his new bride to something special. Tonight, though, he would lay his wife out and make love to her. 

“Snagged us some wedding cake,” Mallory grinned as she pulled two little containers from her overnight bag. Daryl ran his tongue across his bottom lip and just stood where he was, looking at Mallory. Somehow she looked different. He knew it was probably crazy, but she looked different now that she was Mallory Dixon. “So fuckin’ beautiful.” Mallory giggled, “It’s just cake, babe. If I’d known it’d get this kind of reaction…” Suddenly, Daryl was pressing into her and his lips crashed against hers. “You’re mine, Mrs. Dixon.” The next few minutes were filled with frustrated grunts and heavy breathing while they both struggled with each other’s fancy clothes. “If this dress wasn’t so expensive, I’d cut the fuckin’ thing off of ya,” Daryl growled. “I’d almost let you.” Mallory was struggling with the buttons on Daryl’s shirt. “If this wasn’t a rental I’d yank it open.” Mallory let out a long, low moan when Daryl buried his face against her neck and licked a thin line all the way up to her ear. “I can’t wait to get you out of this thing.” Mallory whispered that the zipper was hidden just beneath a row of pearl buttons. He had to stop and turn her around so he could get to it and he didn’t waste any time. As soon as the zipper was pulled all the way down he slipped the small sleeves off of her shoulders and let the dress fall to the floor. He stood planted in place, slowly unbuttoning his shirt and staring at her like a hungry animal about to pounce on its meal. 

He roughly tugged his shirt free from his pants and toed off his shoes. Not for a second did he take his eyes off of Mallory. She looked so pretty in the lacy white underwear she had worn under her gown all day. A little bit of light caught his wedding band just the right way and drew her attention to it. She wore the happiest expression he’d ever seen. “What is it, sweetheart?” She shook her head and tried to pass it off, but Daryl knew that there was something there that he wanted to hear. “Tell me. Please.” “We’re really married. We did that today.” Daryl let his pants fall to the floor and stepped out of them. “We sure did, baby. You made me the happiest and proudest man in the world today. I promise that I’ll spend the rest of my days taking care of you.” Once again, Mallory felt tears stinging her eyes. “I promise, too, my love.” 

Long after they made love and had fallen asleep Daryl woke up. He was on his back and Mallory was on her side with her head nestled on his shoulder. Her left hand was on his chest and he stared at it, studying the way her two rings looked on her slender finger. He never thought that taking this step would be so satisfying and fulfilling, but his heart was full. He couldn’t wait to wake up with her in a few hours and head to the airport to head out for their honeymoon. After that, they had the whole rest of their lives to make all kinds of memories.


	28. Chapter 28

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter, but I'm posting an epilogue that ties everything up in a nice little package. Thank you to everyone who had read this, left kudos, & for all of the many wonderful comments. Those kudos & comments keep the desire to write burning within me.

Their flight was insanely long but so worth it. They left the heat of springtime in Georgia for the amazing warmth and tropical weather of Hawaii. Neither Daryl nor Mallory had ever been and he wanted to make sure that he gave her the honeymoon she deserved. When they arrived at the airport and Daryl had to tell her where they were going, she’d squealed and cried. “I love you, dear husband. I don’t think it’s possible to be any happier than I am now.” “I love you, too, sweetheart. So, you’re good with a week in Hawaii?” Mallory laughed. “Oh, babe, I don’t know if I can handle the sand, sun, and drinks by the pool for a whole week.” He leaned over and kissed her ear. “You think we’ll actually see very much outside of our room?” “Maybe not for the first day or two,” she grinned.

They were glad they hadn’t put too much into making plans for anything because they were dead tired by the time they got to the hotel. The long flight, plus the trip backward through time zones had all of their senses out of whack. All either of them wanted was something to eat that wasn’t airport food and a nap. They had a few options for food within the hotel. There were a few restaurants and a snack bar stocked with stuff to get you through until you were ready to eat a real meal. While that sounded like a good option, neither of them were up to spending the time it would take to decide what they wanted. They opted to splurge on room service.

They went out on their deck while they waited for their food to arrive and took in the amazing view of the ocean. To say it was breathtaking would be a gross understatement. Mallory had never seen anything as beautiful as the sun sparkling off of the water. The breeze carried the salty scent and it was heavenly. “Babe, this is, I don’t even have words for how amazing this is.” Daryl wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her. “I’m glad you like it, Mrs. Dixon.” 

They crashed into the massive, soft bed after they ate. Daryl pulled his bride close, right where he liked her to be. “I love you, baby. In case I didn’t say it before, thank you for making our wedding so special. It was good to see dad so happy and so with it.” Mallory smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. “I didn’t do anything. I’m just glad that it worked out as well as it did. In case I haven’t said it, thank you for our amazing honeymoon. This is too much, but we deserve to spoil ourselves a little, don’t we?” “We sure do, babydoll.”

They went out for dinner and a walk on the beach later. It was so relaxing to know that they didn’t have work or wedding plans to make. All they had in front of them for the next six days was lots of sunshine, the ocean, and each other. 

Daryl woke Mallory before sunrise. He’d gone down to the coffee shop in the lobby of the hotel and gotten them each a cup. “Good morning, beautiful. Let’s go to the beach and watch the sunrise.” Mallory was not a morning person by any stretch, but she couldn’t pass up what would be the most glorious and special sunrise they would ever see. 

The sunrise was more spectacular than anything she could have ever dreamed of. She and Daryl sat on the beach holding hands and Mallory rested her head on his shoulder. She couldn’t remember a time where she felt so relaxed. “If you want, we can hike Haleakala and watch the sunrise above the clouds,” Daryl offered. “Oh my god! That sounds amazing! Let’s do it!” For someone who hated mornings so much, she was awfully excited about getting up even earlier so they could hike up a mountain. “I want to do everything we possibly can while we’re here.” 

They spent the next few days sightseeing and buying souvenirs and making love every second in between. It didn’t matter how early or how late they slept, or if they just spent a day laying in the sand, listening to the waves crash. They were happy and so madly in love that all that mattered, all that existed in the whole world, was the two of them. It was a little selfish, indulgent even, but that’s what honeymoons are supposed to be about.


	29. Chapter 29

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is pretty lengthy (26,083 words!!!) but I'm the kind of girl who wants to know what happens after. This takes place 5 years after their wedding and goes into how their lives have changed & how they're doing. It's like taking a glimpse into a crystal ball. 
> 
> Sending all of you my love!   
> Ash

5 years later

“Drive faster, man!” Daryl yelled at Negan from the passenger seat. He knew that he shouldn’t have let Mallory talk him into working with Abe today. Negan watched with growing humor as Daryl frantically looked from his phone to the road and then to Negan. He and Negan left the brand new house that they were helping Abe build to go grab them all some lunch, but then the call came. It was THE call that Daryl had been waiting on for the last few weeks. Mallory was almost a week past her due date and she told him that there hadn’t been any signs of the baby making an appearance when she shooed him out the door bright and early that morning. It wasn’t a lie. Aside from the normal pains of being hugely pregnant, Mallory was feeling fine. She wanted to get a few more things done in the nursery, but she really needed Daryl out of her hair for a little while. He was so cute with the way he followed her around and fussed after her and made sure that she was comfortable, but she knew that he wouldn’t let her do anything if he stayed home. So, when he mentioned that he should stay in and not work with Abe today, she thought she would scream. But she convinced him that she would be fine and if he was still worried he could come home early.

“I’m serious Negan! Step on it, man!” Daryl yelled. Negan finally lost it. He cracked up at how panicked his best friend was. “The fuck’s so funny?” Daryl glowered. “You know that I’ve done this three times now, right? You and Mallory have plenty of time to get to the hospital.” Rationally, yes, Daryl knew that, but the irrational dad-to-be part of him was screaming that she was alone and on the floor delivering their baby all by herself right now. He huffed and rubbed his hands down his face. “I know. I just… I need to get my eyes on her and know that she’s ok before I can calm down.” Negan reached over and patted Daryl’s shoulder. “We’re almost there, brother. Everything's gonna be just fine. You got this.”

A few minutes later Daryl was jumping out of Negan’s truck before it was all the way stopped. Mallory was standing on their porch, her bag slung over her shoulder, and with a smile on her face. “Sweetheart?” Daryl said softly. “Are you ok?” He rubbed his and over her big belly and looked at her with utter awe. She was so calm. How could she possibly be so calm? “We’re fine, babe. You ready to go be a daddy?” He pushed some wind-blown hair away from her face and kissed her lips. “Damn right I am.” Negan took Mallory’s bag and carried it to his truck. “Trust me, doll. You don’t want him driving right now,” Negan offered before she could ask. “You’re probably right,” she laughed. 

3:03 pm

All of Mallory and Daryl’s friends and family were gathered in the waiting room on the labor and delivery floor. They had all been in and out of Mallory’s room, but her contractions were getting stronger and they became too much of a distraction and she had Daryl ask them to wait outside. What Mallory wanted, Mallory got as far as he was concerned. He was there to make this as easy for her as he possibly could. The truth of the matter was that the stronger the contractions got, the more scared Mallory had gotten. She was determined during her whole pregnancy that she was doing this naturally, but now she was starting to feel real pain and was getting more uncomfortable and she couldn’t seem to get her head in the game with all of the noise from everyone talking. After Daryl got rid of everybody she was finally able to get up and move around and focus on only her husband.

“That was a rough one, huh?” Daryl asked, pressing a kiss to her temple. She had her arms around his neck, facing him. She nodded and took a few more deep breaths. “You good, sweetheart?” “I think so. Can we walk around a little more?” “Anything you need to do we’ll do.” Her contractions were getting stronger now, and lasting a bit longer. Daryl thought that she already looked a little tired, but he kept his opinion on the matter to himself. They walked around her room and Daryl paid close attention to her and to the monitor so he was ready to talk her through the next contraction. “Do you need some ice or anything?” Mallory stopped and turned back to face him. Her eyes were squeezed shut and she started breathing the way they were taught in class. “I’ve got you, baby. You hang onto me.” It was his voice that got her through the pain and the fear that threatened to creep in. “You’re doing so good, Mal. That’s it. Keep breathing. This one is almost over.” 

7:46 pm 

Mallory was perched on a birthing ball and Daryl was right up against her back. The last hour or so had been really hard on Mallory. She was having a harder time getting on top of the contractions and she was beginning to lash out and snap. Her elbows were rested on the bed and her head was in her hands. “Mmmmmm… Fuck!” Daryl massaged her shoulders and spoke his words of comfort and encouragement to soothe her in the way only he could. She leaned against him and let out a tired groan. Her hair was coming out of the bun and was hanging in her face. Daryl knew how much she hated that so he gently removed the ponytail holder and gathered her hair, twisting it around like he’d seen her do a million times, and fixed it for her. “Thanks, babe.” Daryl asked if she needed anything but another hard contraction had her tensing and unable to breathe. “C’mon, baby. It only makes it worse if you don’t let your body relax and breathe through it.” She wanted to bounce that stupid birthing ball off of his face. “Shut up, Daryl! This fucking hurts and it fucking sucks!” Daryl didn’t let her yelling get to him. “Is your back hurting again?” She nodded, instantly regretting yelling at him for trying to help her. Daryl got on his knees and pushed the heel of his hand firmly against the spot of her lower back that was giving her fits. 

“I’m so sorry, Daryl. I shouldn’t have yelled at you. This is so much harder than I thought it would be and I’m scared and all I want to do is go home. Will you just take me home now? Please, babe. I don’t wanna do this anymore.” Mallory rambled as she sobbed. Daryl rested the side of his head against the side of hers. “Shhh. You’re doing so good. You’re so strong and you’re so brave. You know, when you told me that you wanted to do this without drugs I knew that if anyone could do it you could.” 

8:22 pm

Tara was about to crawl out of her skin. She was so anxious about her best friend. She wanted to be there to help her. Obviously, she knew that Daryl was doing fine, but she felt like she should be there to help encourage Mallory and help Daryl in whatever way she could. Her leg was bouncing and she kept looking at the closed doors leading to the labor and delivery hall. “Why hasn’t he been out yet?” Denise laughed. “Honey, you know that these things take time. I’m sure that they’re fine. You want to go to the cafeteria and get something to eat, or maybe get a coffee?” Tara chewed on her nail and shook her head. “No. I can’t leave. What if the baby comes while I’m not here?” Denise squeezed her girlfriend’s hand. “Ok. We’ll stay.”

Abe wasn’t doing much better. He was pacing the waiting room like a caged animal. That was his baby sister in there going through hell. It didn’t help that the weather had gone from bad to worse. A strong line of storms was bearing down on Atlanta and the news playing on the TV was just a series of warning alarms for tornado watches and severe thunderstorm warnings. What if the power went out and Mallory or the baby had an emergency? He watched the crawl at the bottom of the screen and read the newest warnings before heading over to the windows to look outside. The sky was ominously black and lightning flashed brilliantly. The wind was blowing the trees wildly, and the rain was coming down so hard that he couldn’t even see out the window at times. He would feel better if he could just peek in on his sis for a second, but Daryl had been firm when he said that Mallory needed to be alone. 

Mr. Ford was all but losing his mind. That was his baby girl in that room beyond the doors giving birth to his first grandchild. He knew the hell his own wife endured giving birth to each of his children and he knew that Mallory had set her mind to having a natural birth. He kept his mouth shut on the matter. It wasn’t his decision to make, but he would do just about anything right now to grab the doctor and force him to knock his daughter out and get the baby out of her so she didn’t have to endure another moment of pain. Yeah, Mallory might be a grown married woman, but she was still and forever would be his little girl. “Mike,” Mrs. Ford patted his hand. “She’s strong and Daryl is taking very good care of her. Our girl is in very good hands.” 

Merle, Carol, Negan, and Rosita were happily playing with the girls, all four of them. They were seemingly the only calm people in the waiting room. The girls were oblivious to the raging storm outside, happy to play with their toys. The two couples watched and reminisced about their own birth experiences. They weren’t worried about Mallory and Daryl at all. They knew how strong they were and that they would get through this just fine. 

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Mallory was shaking, crying, pleading, and throwing up. Daryl held a basin in front of her with one hand and a cold washcloth to the back of her neck with his other. She had given up to the pain and she wasn’t even trying to get on top of it, much less through it. The contractions were on top of each other and there was hardly a break between them. 

Daryl sat on the side of the bed and stroked his wife’s sweaty face with his fingers. “Mallory, look at me, honey.” She raised her puffy, red-rimmed eyes, and met his loving gaze. “Listen to me. We’re almost there. It’s not going to be much longer until our baby is here. I need you to stay with me. You can do this, girl. You’re gonna breathe with me and we’re gonna do this together, you got me?” Mallory nodded, albeit weakly. “You can do this, baby. There isn’t anything that scares you, and you’re not gonna let this scare you either.” Another contraction started building and Mallory closed her eyes, taking in a slow, deep breath. Daryl was right and it was just what she needed to hear. She centered herself and freed her mind of the prevailing thoughts of ‘I can’t’ and turned them into ‘I will’. Daryl saw the shift in her immediately. “That’s my girl. You’re doing such a good job, baby. Keep breathing.”

10:38 pm

Daryl was walking with Mallory who was more than done with all of this labor bullshit. She couldn’t get comfortable for more than a few seconds in any position. This was their third trip around the room. Mallory’s nurse was watching closely because Mallory was almost fully dilated when she checked her a few minutes before Mallory declared that she needed to walk. When Mallory stopped suddenly, Daryl almost ran into her. She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck and went into a half-squat, letting out a long groan. “I’ve got you, baby girl.” 

Things happened quickly from that point. The nurse checked Mallory as she stood there in that squat. “I can see the baby’s head!” she exclaimed and went to hit the call button and get things ready for delivery. “We need to get you to the bed, sweetheart.” Mallory shook her head. “No. This way.” That was all that she could say because she was hit with the sudden overwhelming urge to push. “Pushing! Can’t stop!” Her nurse practically slid on her knees to where Daryl and Mallory stood. “Do what your body is telling you to do, Mallory.” Daryl hooked his arms under Mallory’s armpits and widened his stance so Mallory could rest all of her weight on him. “Come on, baby. You got this.”

10:45pm

A mere seven minutes after the nurse declared that she could see the baby’s head, little Samuel William Dixon let out his first cry. Mallory tried to slide down to the floor so she could rest. After hours of labor and giving birth standing up, she had nothing left. Daryl held her until the cord was cut and then he carried his exhausted wife to her bed. “You did it, honey. Oh God, he’s perfect.” Daryl didn’t try to hide his tears. He was so damn proud of her and their baby boy was finally here. He kissed her over and over while she smiled up at him. “I love you so much.” 

“You guys ready to meet your son?” the nurse offered. Mallory reached out her arms and pulled their sweet baby boy to her chest. “Look at you,” she cried. “You’re beautiful.” Nothing had ever felt better than the feeling of her baby in her arms. Nothing compared to the sight of Mallory holding his son. “Hi, buddy. I’m your daddy. Welcome to the world.” Daryl couldn’t stop touching Sam’s tiny fingers. “He’s perfect, babe. We made him and he’s perfect.” “Yeah. He is. I can’t believe he’s finally here. Are you doing ok?” Mallory smiled but her exhaustion was clear. “I couldn’t be better. Thank you for everything, babe. You ready to hold your son?” Daryl carefully took the little bundle from her and cradled Sam against his chest. “Hi, buddy. You and me are gonna take care of mommy now. She worked so hard to get you here.”

Once Mallory and the baby were checked over and cleaned up, Daryl went to give everyone the good news. The nurses bent the rules a bit and allowed everyone to come in and meet the newest Dixon as long as they promised to keep it short and not make too much noise. 

Tara all but tackled Daryl as soon as she saw him coming through the double doors into the waiting room. “Is the baby here? Is Mallory ok?” Daryl had to laugh at her exuberant reaction. “Everyone is fine. Samuel is here and he’s perfect. Mallory did such an amazing job. Sam weighed in at eight pounds five ounces and is twenty inches long. Mallory is pretty tired, but she’s up to having you all come in and meet him.”

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Daryl pulled into their driveway and told Mallory to stay put. He ran around to open her door and help her out and then grabbed the car seat so he could carry in the baby. It was a beautiful sunny summer day. They made their way up the brick walkway and climbed the few steps to their porch. Two years after they got married Daryl, Abe, and Negan built this house. Daryl and Mallory fell in love with it and the little neighborhood, so they bought it. This would be the home that Sam grew up in. 

The year that Daryl and Mallory got married was a tough year. After they returned from their amazing honeymoon to Hawaii, they had to jump right back into work and classes. They worked odd shifts to accommodate their classes and Mallory’s new schedule on the helicopter and there were days that they didn’t get to see each other at all. It was worth it in the end and they made the time they were together count. 

It seemed like things were finally settling down a bit when Daryl was the only one in classes and Mallory talked him into cutting back on his hours at work. She made enough money to keep them afloat. Of course, Daryl tried to argue that she shouldn’t be the one to carry the financial burden, but she explained that he was going to burn out altogether if he didn’t cut back. He couldn’t argue that point. She was right. He was so tired some days that he would realize that he was at work and he had no memory of how he got there. Once he scaled back his hours he was doing a lot better and he was able to get through his classes much easier. 

The call came late one evening when they were both at home. Mallory would always be grateful that she had been there with Daryl. Will had been declining since shortly after the wedding. He’d only had a few more good days after, but then he started sleeping more and more and his speech became more garbled and he didn’t seem to recognize anyone anymore. Daryl had a really hard time going to see him then. He felt selfish, but he just didn’t want the last memories he had of his father to be of him like he was now. One of the nurses from the facility called and Mallory watched as all of the color drained out of Daryl’s face. 

“Babe? What’s going on?” Mallory wrapped her arm around his back and held him close. “Umm… She said it was just a matter of time now and that we should get there as soon as we can.” She got to her feet and offered him her hand. Daryl couldn’t move. He didn’t know if he could do this. His mother passed very suddenly so he wasn’t faced with watching her die. “Baby, I know that this is hard, but you don’t want to look back and regret that you weren’t there for him. He’ll know that we’re with him and it might make it easier for him to let go and be at peace.” Of course, she was right, Daryl just didn’t know if his heart could take this. “I’ll be right there with you. We need to do this for him. You know that you want him to hear you tell him that you love him one more time.” As hard as he tried he just couldn’t hold back how much this hurt. 

Mallory sank to her knees and held her husband as he clung to her. He buried his face between her neck and shoulder and sobbed until it physically hurt. She held the back of his head with her hand and scratched his scalp while rubbing her other hand up and down his back. “It’s going to be ok, babe. I know that this is hard, but we’ll get through this together.” She wiped his tears away and led him upstairs so they could get dressed.

Mallory called her parents on the way to the facility to let them know what was happening. It wasn’t a question for Mr. & Mrs. Ford, Daryl was their family and they were going to be there for him. They called Abe to let him know what was happening and he rushed out the door to be there for Daryl, too. 

Merle and Carol were already there by the time Mallory and Daryl arrived. Will was actively dying. It was something that Daryl and Mallory had seen many times, but this was like they were seeing it for the very first time. Will was sleeping and his respirations were down to a few sporadic ones per minute. Daryl froze in the doorway. The overwhelming urge to turn right around and leave made his heart thump heavily in his chest. “Look at me, baby,” Mallory whispered. “I’m right here with you. You need to do this. I know you. I know that you would regret not being here for the rest of your life.” Daryl looked at her with wide, scared eyes and nodded. She was absolutely right, he would regret not saying good-bye.

Mallory led him over to where Merle was sitting, holding his father’s hand. She hugged her brother-in-law from behind and whispered that she loved him. Daryl put his hand on Merle’s shoulder and Merle let out a quiet sob. He wasn’t any more ready for this than Daryl was. Mallory and Carol hugged and asked how the other was doing. “Best I can, I suppose,” Carol responded. “What about you?” “Same. Daryl’s taking it pretty hard. All we can do is be there for them.” 

Mrs. Ford came in a little while later and pulled Daryl into the tightest hug. “Oh, baby. I’m so sorry. We’re here and we’re going to be here to help you get through this.” She stepped back and looked into his tear-filled eyes. “We love you, son. You and Merle are our family and we want you to know that you’re not going through this alone. Don’t feel like you can’t or shouldn’t come to us for anything. Do you understand me, young man?” Daryl had to laugh despite his tears and hugged his mother-in-law. “Yes, ma’am. I promise.” He had pretty much the same conversation with Mr. Ford and Abe. They also had the same talk with Merle. “You’re our family.” Mr. Ford told him. “No reason you have to go through all of this alone. Let us help in whatever way we can.” 

Just before the sun began to rise Will took his last breath. Merle and Carol had to get out of the room for a little while. Mallory’s parents and Abe went down to the day room where they could sit on comfortable couches and wait for Daryl and Merle to come to them. Mallory was sitting on one side of Will and Daryl on the other side. They each were holding one of his hands. Mallory was the first to realize that the long exhale would not be followed by another inhale. She kissed Will’s cheek and thanked him for giving her an amazing husband. Daryl was just staring at his father, waiting for him to take another breath. “Baby?” Mallory spoke softly. Daryl just looked at her pleadingly. He wanted her to tell him that what he knew wasn’t true. She couldn’t find the right words so she just went to him and held him.

The next few days passed in a haze of grief and overwhelming heartache. Daryl and Merle were both struggling with their feelings of relief that they no longer had to see their dad as he had been. Mrs. Ford, being the incredibly intuned mom that she was, knew that Daryl was having a hard time with something. She found him out on the patio having a smoke and decided that she would join him and have a talk with him.

“Hey, baby. How are you doing?” Daryl tried to give her a reassuring smile, but he knew it was pointless to try to hide anything from her. “You know, it’s ok that you feel better now that he’s gone.” Daryl gave her a look that made her laugh. “Just because I’m not your mama doesn’t mean that I don’t know what’s going on in your head. What you and Merle had to endure all of this time with the way your father was, had to be hard. It’s perfectly natural and okay to feel like it’s better now. I know that I would want my kids to feel better. I know that it feels weird to have that sense of relief, but it’s ok to feel that way. Don’t add guilt to yourself that you don’t deserve. This is already hard enough.” Daryl was quiet as he let her words sink in. She put her arm around his waist and stood with him. She wasn’t leaving him until she knew that she’d gotten through. “You really think it’s ok that I feel like that?” “I do, Daryl. Your dad, the dad that he was before dementia took him away from you, would want you to be happy that he was at peace now.” She felt him shudder beneath her arm and she rubbed his back. When Mallory spotted them out on the patio, her mom had her arm around Daryl and he had his head on her shoulder, she let them be. Her mom had a way of making the worst things seem not so bad and she thought Daryl might need a little of that right now. “Thanks, Jenna. I don’t know how you do it, but you know just the right way to make things better, and I’m glad you do. I needed to hear that.” Jenna kissed his cheek and told him she knew. “I love you, sweetheart. You’re a hell of a good man and it hurts me to see you hurting. You can always talk to me about anything.” Daryl finally gave her a smile that let her know that he was going to be ok. “I know. I love you, too.”

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Negan and Rosita welcomed their second baby girl shortly after their first turned a year old. Daryl and Mallory thought they were crazy, but Negan and Ro loved being parents and they were up for the challenge of two babies. They quickly established a routine and Rosita’s mother helped out a lot. Negan, who no one thought would ever settle down, jumped into being a daddy to two baby girls like a duck to water. He would take both girls out for walks so Rosita could have a little time to herself to enjoy some peace and quiet so she wouldn’t be overwhelmed. She was the love of his life and he was committed to making her feel like she was his queen. 

Their third baby was a bit of a surprise, but they were thrilled to add another bundle to their brood. Ana was three and Isabella was two, Jada was born in a world of chaos. Rosita had a harder time with her pregnancy this go round and she went into early labor a few times. Her doctors were able to stop it, but Rosita had to be on complete bed rest until she delivered. Thank God Negan was home that morning. Rosita was thirty-seven weeks, almost full term. She got up to go to the bathroom and her water broke. Things moved faster than they could have ever imagined and Negan delivered their baby girl right there on their bedroom floor. Jada spent a few days in the NICU just to make sure that her lungs were fully developed and that she was completely healthy. She was perfectly fine and the doctors were pleased that she was doing so well despite her hasty entrance. Rosita was too afraid of going through that again, or maybe having another baby who came even earlier, so she and Negan made the decision that their family was complete.

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Mallory woke with a start. The baby should be awake by now and ready for his breakfast. She threw back the covers and started to get out of bed to check on him. “Good morning, sweetheart,” Daryl whispered from his side of the bed. Mallory let out a sigh of relief when she saw Daryl sitting there with their son on his chest. “He woke up a little while ago. I changed him and brought him in here so you wouldn’t have to get out of bed when he was ready to eat. Little guy likes laying on my chest,” Daryl smiled proudly. “He went right back to sleep as soon as he was snuggled against me.” Mallory was more in love with Daryl now than ever. Seeing him there with their baby was all that she ever needed. They were happy and life was good.


End file.
